Senator Kenneth Gittens. Photo Credit: V.I. LEGISLATURE
Senator Kenneth Gittens, an elected official of the 34th Legislature of the Virgin Islands, is hospitalized at the Juan F. Luis Hospital and was in stable but serious condition as of Saturday night, the Consortium has learned. This information was corroborated by Mr. Gittens himself after the publication made some inquiries.
The senator was hospitalized Saturday afternoon and remains at the hospital under constant monitoring.
Speaking to the Consortium Saturday night, Mr. Gittens confirmed that what he thought was gas pain were actually blood clots affecting multiple areas of his body, including a large blood clot in his lungs. The senator had sent out a text message to members of the Gentlemen Jones, a nonprofit organization that he is a part of, about his condition.
The senator said he has been in contact with physicians at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, a facility he has a relationship with. Mr. Gittens said he may seek further attention outside the territory in the coming days, however he was stable at JFL at the moment.
Governor Albert Bryan told the Consortium that he learned of the hospitalization Saturday. Mr. Gittens's office has been working on providing a statement to the community, the Consortium has learned. The statement is expected to be issued following an update from a doctor on Mr. Gitten's condition on Sunday.
A blood clot blocks the normal flow of blood. This blockage can cause serious problems, like damage to the lungs and low oxygen levels in the human body's blood. The lack of oxygen can harm other organs in the body, too. If the clot is big or the artery is clogged by many smaller clots, a pulmonary embolism can be deadly, according to WebMD.
