Bradley County Sheriff Jim Ruth.VIDEO
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Bradley County, Tenn., Sheriff Jim Ruth is officially on medical leave recovering from a stroke, but he said Friday he intends to get back to work as soon as he can.
Ruth spent days in an intensive care unit after he was taken ill May 30 during an event in Nashville. The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office said on its website that Ruth had an episode of atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, and was recovering.
The sheriff said Friday he had suffered a stroke in his brain stem, the area between the spinal cord and cerebellum that controls consciousness, blood pressure and breathing.
Such strokes can be life-threatening or incapacitating, but Ruth said from his room that doctors are pleased with his progress.