Wood County Commission President Blair Couch (File Photo)

PARKERSBURG — Wood County Commission President Blair Couch was back at commission on Thursday after undergoing an operation the previous week to deal with swelling in his brain.

“I had excess cerebral spinal fluid building in my brain,” he said.

He had a procedure, “cerebral shunt surgery,” where a hole was drilled into his skull to access the part of the brain that produces brain fluid and a shunt/tube was placed robotically to drain the places where there was excess fluid collecting in his head.

“There was too much of it,” Couch said. “It was causing pressure inside the cranium and affecting my speech and I was stumbling.”

The tube moved that fluid down to his stomach by a small pump device placed where the hole was drilled.

“It is not uncommon surgery,” Couch said.

He had the approximately two-hour surgery early in the morning on Feb. 13 and went home around 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14.

“I feel like my speech is already sharper,” Couch said. “I’m still on the edge (with the stumbling).

“I am still not 100% sure of myself (with his balance as he is still steadying himself when he stands up).”

His early symptoms were resembling what might be happening when someone has suffered a kind of stroke and that was what he initially thought might be happening.

Couch believes he has been dealing with this for over two years and had a number of tests conducted. Couch also had open heart surgery within the last year.

He missed commission on Feb. 13. and there was no commission meeting on Feb. 17 because of Presidents Day.

“I hated missing commission,” he said, adding he was in contact with County Administrator Marty Seufer about what happened at the meeting.

Although he was told he has zero restrictions, Couch is still planning to take it easy where he can and limit his driving until he recovers more. He is still planning to keep up with his meeting schedule for various boards he serves on.

“I am just happy to be back in the saddle,” he said.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com