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First lady 'in good spirits and resting' following kidney procedure

The first lady is recovering in the hospital from her Monday kidney surgery.

May 15, 2018, 11:54 AM

First lady Melania Trump is continuing her recovery in the hospital following a kidney-related procedure Monday that her office said was long-planned.

"I want to start by saying that Melania is in the hospital doing really well," President Donald Trump said in remarks on Capitol Hill at National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service late Tuesday morning. "She's watching us right now. And I want to thank the incredible doctors, Walter Reed Medical Center. They did a fantastic job. So thank you and she sends her love."

Earlier in the day, President Trump also tweeted an update on his wife's condition, saying she's on track to leave the hospital "in 2 or 3 days."

The White House revealed Monday that the first lady underwent an "embolization procedure" to treat what it said was a "benign kidney condition." There were few details provided, however, on what the condition was, symptoms or concerns may have led to the procedure being necessary.

The president visited the first lady Monday afternoon after her surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., but didn't engage questions from reporters regarding the status of her condition.

Mrs. Trump's expected multi-day hospitalization will be the longest for a first lady since Nancy Reagan spent roughly a week in the hospital in 1987 following a mastectomy.

The surgery also comes at a time when the first lady has made a renewed push into the public spotlight with her unveiling last week of the "Be Best" initiative targeting bullying, drug use and suicide and how the issues affect children.

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