Vice-President Kamala Harris became the first woman to – briefly – be given presidential powers while President Joe Biden underwent a regular health check.
Kamala Harris, 57, was in control for 85 minutes, while President Biden was placed under anesthesia for a routine colonoscopy on November 19.
Joe Biden’s doctor released a statement after the operation, saying he was healthy and able to execute his duties.
The medical examination came on the eve of the president’s 79th birthday.
According to officials, Kamala Harris carried out her duties from her office in the West Wing of the White House.
Kamala Harris is the first woman – and the first black and South Asian American – to be elected US vice-president.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the temporary transfer of powers in such circumstances was not unprecedented, and that it was part of the process set out in the US constitution.
“As was the case when President George W. Bush had the same procedure in 2002 and 2007,” Jen Psaki said in a statement.
President Biden was seen smiling as he returned to the White House.
“I feel great,” he said.
“President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous, 78-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the president,” said Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor said the colonoscopy found a “benign-appear polyp” that was easily removed.
He added that the president’s gait also appeared “perceptibly stiffer and less fluid,” than in the past. This was attributed to wear and tear of the spine.
Joe Biden, the oldest US president to take office, had his last full medical examination in December 2019.
At the time, his doctor released a medical report describing him as “healthy, vigorous” and “fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency”.
Like it or not, we aren’t immortal, and our bodies go through a process of wear and tear as we get older. It’s therefore a good idea to have a quick check-up from time to time; and what better time than the New Year to book in for some routine check-ups.
Unlike a medical check-up at work, which you just want to sail through – particularly if it’s something like a drugs test… when looking at your personal health it’s best to have things flag up as early prevention makes most conditions much more treatable. However, you may want to get a second opinion, as for example, there are 12 Things That Can Make You Fail A Drug Test such as tonic water due to the quinine in it – which goes to show that modern tests, just like doctors, are not infallible and it’s always best to get a second opinion.
EYE TEST
The majority of people today, particularly given the intensive use of computers, televisions, and mobile devices we all use require a little help to correct their sight; as we age the health of our eyes can start to deteriorate so it’s good to have a check-up, not just for glasses, but to confirm your holistic optical health and rule out conditions such as glaucoma.
HEARING TEST
The good news is hearing evaluations are one of the less invasive tests required, yet so many of us begin to lose the edge of our ability to hear others, which leads to severe and totally unavoidable communication issues. The ability to communicate is so important, and if you are struggling with your hearing, then it’s a good idea to get a quick test – as it’ll be over in a jiffy and could save a lot of embarrassment down the line. The other thing to note is that some hearing aids are now totally hidden within the ear itself.
ORAL HEALTH
Many of us fear visiting the dentist, and perhaps this is for good reason on the basis that nobody likes the invasive feeling of having fingers crammed into one’s mouth and sharp implements prodded around the gums resulting in the inevitably metalic taste of blood – but it’s much better to keep your oral health in check, rather than only access dentistry due to a problem such as toothache.
CHOLESTEROL
Given the processed diets we often find ourselves living on, out of convenience, a lot of us suffer with high levels of cholesterol – which results in the arteries beginning to clog up, become furry, and eventually harden. This is a major cause of heart disease, and if you do have high cholesterol, it’s something that should be addressed by a change in diet, sooner rather than later. You can even order self-testing kits to measure your own cholesterol levels online.
CANCER CHECK-UP
We all feel a little timid to get sensitive parts of ourselves tested; particularly for something as significant as prostate cancer or breast cancer; but there’s no benefit in burying your head in the sand – as, unfortunately, ignorance is not bliss.
According to statistics, today, as many as 1 in 2 people will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Of course, healthy living is the best tool to keep cancer at bay, but if you have reason to suspect something it’s best to get checked out. The likelihood is you’ll have the all clear and benefit from a greater sense of peace of mind; but if something does come back positive, at least you are in the empowered position to treat it promptly; which is going to provide a much better outcome than leaving it for months or even years.
In summary prevention is better than cure, but in the alternative to this, early detection is going to seriously improve the chances of treating the issue with optimal results.
This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with EU GDPR 2016/679. Please read this to review the updates about which personal data we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated policy. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.