State Sen. Ophelia Ford appears for the first time this session on Monday in Nashville, after a long battle with an illness.
Posted on 03/25/2008 7:53:04 AM PDT by SmithL
NASHVILLE -- State Sen. Ophelia Ford answered the Senate's roll call Monday night for the first time since the General Assembly convened Jan. 8.
The Memphis Democrat told her colleagues in a brief address upon her return to the Senate floor that she had suffered from a "bleeding ulcer" that took a long time to diagnose, but she's ready to return to work. She had been hospitalized with a previously undisclosed illness off and on since the legislature adjourned last June.
Walking slowly with the aid of an aluminum cane, she arrived at her legislative office about an hour before the Senate convened at 5:15 p.m. Ford, 57, had also missed much of the 2007 legislative session, and when she was present, was involved in a series of episodes that generated considerable publicity -- including a trip to a hospital after falling off a barstool at her hotel across the street from the Capitol.
Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis introduced his Shelby County colleague as the Senate convened its 12th week Monday.
Ford stood at her front-row desk and said:
"Hello, no I was just giving God a little praise -- my way of doing that. Mr. Speaker, our leader, Senator Kyle, and all my colleagues, it is just so wonderful to be here in my seat, my space tonight -- Senator Ford.
"I just want to praise and thank God for His grace and His mercy and all that He brought me through.
And I haven't felt this good -- I've been telling some of my colleagues -- in years. And I know there were some things going around and on the news, you know, about a blood disease.
"My blood disease is a bleeding ulcer. It took them that long to find out, causing other complications to come about in between time. But everything is under control. I might be a pound or two thinner, but watch your lunches, as I've told some, because I'm eating up everything now; I'm hungry all of the time. Taking my vitamins like I'm supposed to and doing my exercise.
"And that is what's going to keep me here. I appreciate your taking time to let me address my colleagues tonight just to say I've missed you. I've missed you a lot. I'm so glad to be back and I'm looking forward to working and getting back to work."
Ford won the Senate seat in a special election in 2005 to succeed her brother, former senator John Ford. Republicans contested that election following reports of irregularities and the Senate in 2006 voided the election. She won a four-year term in November 2006.
Ford's District 29 covers a broad swath of Shelby County -- including much of Downtown Memphis and most of Millington.
Ophelia, I feel ya....
Ophelia - The Band
Boards on the window
Mail by the door
Why would anybody leave so quickly for
Ophelia?
Where have you gone?
The old neighborhood
Just ain’t the same
Nobody knows just
What became of
Ophelia?
Where have you gone?
Was it somethin’ that somebody said?
Mama you know we broke the rules
Was somebody up against the law?
Honey, you know
I’d die for you
They got your number
Scared and runnin’
But I’m still waitin’
For the second comin’
Of Ophelia
Please knock on my door.
Was it somethin’ that somebody said?
Honey, you know we broke the rule
Was somebody up against the law?
Honey you know
I’d die for you
Ashes of laughter
The ghost is clear
Why do the best things always disappear?
Like Ophelia
Please darken my door.
I seem to be finding your posts a lot this morning...
Ophelia may have her bleeding ulcer under control, but she is still a mental case, as are all who voted for her.
(Go Tigers - Go Vols - I like both schools) I’d love to see a rematch in the big dance!
Wonder how long it`ll be before she falls off
a bar stool again.
I had rather see the Tigers pay Louisville again!
GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, so I noticed. I had to scroll down to figure out the connection! Tigers/Louisville would be a good game, too, but my son goes to UTK, so I’m pulling for them.
My family in Nashville still hasn’t forgiven me for going to that “other” school.
UofM and Louisville are long time rivals.
Don’t I know it! Actually, though, MSU and Louisville were the rivals... I hate the name change. But since the Cardinals ran away from the conference for a better offer, I don’t care too much anymore. I’m a 1982 alum, and went to more than a couple of MSU/UL games (in the Coliseum!).
One of my boys is a 82 grad. Now the grandchildren are starting to be alumni Is that right? I never can remember. One of them had the same prof as her father. The teacher referred to my granddaughter as a grandstudent.
Yes, I guess you could say falling off a bar stool is a "complication".
I saw a young woman have such a "complication" in San Francisco a few months ago -- the bartender was giving her free shots of Jägermeister right up until her "complication" manifested itself.
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