Fitial stood long enough to deliver his remarks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly installed floating dock at Inner Cove Marina on Monday.
He told reporters that he could stand longer “but I don’t want to be too confident.”
Fitial, who recently had a check-up at UCLA Medical Center in California, said his arthritis in the spine is congenital. “I was born with it,” he added.
His physician, Dr. Jeff Wang, advised him to undergo a 90-day physical therapy.
“I feel very strong now,” said the governor Fitial who added that he undergoes therapy sessions three times a week.
He said his doctor also prescribed Chinese medicines like snake bile and seahorse.
Fitial said he was ready for another surgery but his doctor tried medication first and it worked.
“My doctor said he does not want to see my neck again,” the governor said in jest.
Fitial said he still have months to go with his physical therapy but he is ready to appear publicly because he can already walk and stand longer.
But, he added, “the pain is always there that is why I’m taking all these treatments.”
