Nancy Reagan slowly recovering from broken ribs

GlobalPost

Nancy Reagan is slowly recovering from broken ribs, and has started to reschedule appearances despite missing a speech at the Reagan Presidential Library on Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.

The former first lady broke her ribs during a fall a few weeks ago, and doctors suggested she stay home and watch the speech on TV.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R–Wis.) spoke to a sold-out audience about Republican-Democrat cooperation. He’s a potential running mate for Mitt Romney.

John Heubusch, executive director of The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, said Reagan remains in good spirits.

“She’s fine, but still nursing some broken ribs from a fall that several of you heard about weeks ago,” Heubusch told the crowd, CBS News reported.

More from GlobalPost: Ronald Reagan’s blood reportedly on auction

Reagan, 90, also fractured her pelvis last year and spent time in hospital, CNN said. 

She also fell in 2008, but still managed to meet with media and endorse John McCain during his campaign against President Obama.

“Mrs. Reagan has been recovering slowly and has been adding a few appointments back on to her schedule, but was advised by her doctor today not to try and attend large events too far from home just yet,” spokeswoman Joanne Drake told CNN.

She’s become less active in recent years, although she did unveil a statue of her late husband in the Capitol rotunda in 2009, and placed a wreath at his grave on what would’ve been his 100th birthday last year.

Ronald Reagan died from complications due to Alzheimer’s disease in 2004.

More from GlobalPost: ‘We could call it the Reagan rule,’ Obama says

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?