Grassley going to doctor today

Senator Chuck Grassley burned himself just over a week ago as he was burning a brush pile on his farm near New Hartford.  During a conference call with reporters in the middle of last week, Grassley talked in more detail about the injury.  Grassley told me on Thursday night that he was to see a doctor today (Monday) to judge the severity of the injury. Grassley did pull up his pant leg as we stood talking in the parking lot at Iowa Public Television to show me the burn site, which is just below his left knee.

UPDATE:  Beth Pellett-Levine, a spokeswoman for Senator Grassley, reports the following:  "Senator Grassley went to the doctor this morning, and he said the leg was healing fine.  Senator Grassley will continue to put ointment on the burn as it heals."

Here's the text of Grassley's comments last Thursday during a conference call with Iowa reporters.

            GRASSLEY:  Well, no.  Now, listen, it probably sounded worse than what I — what it really is because of Twitter.  Although yesterday, you know, Twitter, you can only put on 140 characters, and I suppose I could you have talked about it more than that. 

            The main reason for Tweeting was the fact that I thought I ought to honor Andy, my neighbor, that helped me put the fire out. 

            But, anyway, yesterday, I did have a short access to a doctor while I was traveling around in southwest Iowa.  And he said it was pretty bad which I, obviously, didn't have any professional person tell me that I've been doctoring it myself. 

            He did write a prescription.  I did get a prescription.  So now, after three days of bad doctoring, maybe I'm going to get some decent doctoring now.  But I've been able to walk without pain, sleep without pain. 

            He said that it's a little bit deeper.  I may have to have a skin graft.  But I won't know that until I get back to the doctor's Monday.