McGreevey Hospitalized for Broken Leg

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - February 2, 2002 — Gov. James E. McGreevey began physical therapy Saturday, the same day surgeons used a titanium rod to repair his broken left leg. McGreevey broke his femur Friday night during a walk on a Cape May beach with his wife. The accident occurred during the governor's first day off since he was sworn in Jan. 15.

He will have to use crutches for eight weeks and undergo therapy, doctors from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital said Saturday.

McGreevey was first taken to Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital in Cape May Court House, then brought by helicopter to the New Brunswick hospital. The 90-minute surgery was performed early Saturday morning.

Doctors attached the rod to McGreevey's broken femur with three screws, surgeon Timothy Hosen said. They completed the surgery under the skin, so McGreevey will not have a scar or wear a cast.

Hosen said the surgery was routine, and as soon as McGreevey is comfortable, he'll be able to leave the hospital. No release date was set, but the governor was expected to be home in the next couple days.

Aides said the governor, whose work regimen earned him the nickname "robocandidate," began work on state business Saturday morning from his hospital bed.

Doctors said he should have no problem performing state duties.

"He broke his leg," Hosen said. "He didn't do anything to his cognitive functions."

McGreevey's parents and sisters visited him in the hospital. The governor canceled all of his public events for the weekend, and Monday's schedule is uncertain, spokesman Paul Aronsohn said.

McGreevey is preparing for a Feb. 11 emergency address to the Legislature on the $2.9 billion budget crisis, Aronsohn said.

"I don't know what bed he'll be in," Aronsohn said. "But he'll be doing work."

Democratic Senate President Richard J. Codey served as acting governor for about three hours Saturday morning while McGreevey was in surgery.

The senator said he got the call about midnight and received updates throughout the surgery.

Codey, co-president of a Senate evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, is splitting acting governor duties with Republican Sen. John O. Bennett, with Codey taking the first three months.

It was the first time he served as acting governor since he and Bennett took turns the week before McGreevey's inauguration.

Codey said the long recovery period would be difficult for McGreevey, who works out every day lifting weights.

"For him, this is going to be tough because he is one of the most active people I've ever met," Codey said.

There was not much light during McGreevey's beach walk, and it may have been hard to see the 4-foot sand ledge, Aronsohn said.

Former Gov. Christie Whitman was not immune from mishaps herself. Whitman once broke her leg while skiing, and broke her finger while mountain biking during a California vacation.

Dr. Hosen was staffing the Rutgers University women's basketball game when paged about the governor's appearance in the emergency room.

"My immediate reaction was, 'Oh well. We'll do our best and take care of him," the doctor shrugged during a hospital news conference

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Author: 6 ABC - AP