Sen. Kirk has his gallbladder removed

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) had his gallbladder removed in a successful surgery Monday, his congressional office announced.

On Saturday morning, Kirk checked into Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, located north of Chicago, and reported having stomach pains, his office said in a statement.

“Doctors determined that, due to the fact that he had gall stones, his gall bladder needed to be removed. This morning Senator Kirk underwent a successful surgery to have his gall bladder removed and is resting comfortably. His doctor expects a quick recovery.” 

{mosads}Kirk, 54, suffered from a stroke in January of 2012, which required him to take a year-long leave of absence from Congress to recover. 

His speech and mobility were affected as a result, but therapy has helped him make a comeback.

This January, Kirk returned to the Senate. Early last month, he delivered his first floor speech since his stroke.

Kirk previously served in the House for nearly a decade. In 2010, he won two concurrent elections to take the Senate seat left open by then-President Obama.