Portland City Councilor Spencer Thibodeau was released from the hospital on Wednesday, where he had spent more than a month recovering from appendicitis.

Thibodeau said Thursday that he was finally home, albeit 15 pounds lighter. He said he plans to rest up and binge-watch Netflix before returning to work on Monday.

“My goal is to get back to life as it was, so I plan to return to work on Monday and attend the council meeting,” he said. “I’m grateful for the team and Maine Medical Center. I can’t say enough about the care I got there.”

Thibodeau was hospitalized on Oct. 25 after his appendix burst. He underwent surgery to have it removed, but remained hospitalized for five weeks.

As a result of his illness, the District 2 meeting originally scheduled for Nov. 16 was canceled. But Thibodeau said it is now rescheduled for Dec. 13 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Reiche Elementary School.

Appendicitis most often occurs in people between the ages of 10 and 30, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms include a sudden pain in the lower-right area of the abdomen or around the navel and then often shifts to the lower-right abdomen.

The pain gets worse with walking, laughing or other jarring movements.

Other symptoms include a low-grade fever, bloating and a loss of appetite.

If not treated immediately, the appendix can rupture, spreading the infection throughout the body and requiring more aggressive surgery.

Randy Billings can be reached at 791-6346 or at:

rbillings@pressherald.com

Twitter: randybillings

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