POLITICIAN Dianne Feinstein served as the senior United States senator from California for over three decades.
On September 29, 2023, it was revealed that the politician had passed away at the age of 90.
What was Senator Dianne Feinstein diagnosed with?
On May 18, 2023, Senator Dianne Feinstein revealed that she had been hospitalized in San Francisco. and was receiving treatment after being diagnosed with shingles in February.
In a statement at the time, she shared that she was expected "to make a full recovery," however when she returned to the Capitol in mid-May, The New York Times described her as "frailer than ever."
The outlet revealed that the oldest sitting senator was dealing with more serious complications from her recent fight with shingles.
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"The shingles spread to her face and neck, causing vision and balance impairments and facial paralysis known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome," The New York Times wrote.
"The virus also brought on a previously unreported case of encephalitis, a rare but potentially debilitating complication of shingles, according to two people familiar with the senator’s diagnosis who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe it."
Post-shingles encephalitis may cause swelling of the brain and even affect memory, sleep, mood, and mobility.
On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, Feinstein was hospitalized once again after tripping and falling in her home city, according to TMZ.
On September 29, 2023, NBC News reported that Feinstein had died at the age of 90.
At this time, her cause of death is unknown.
What did Dianne Feinstein say about her diagnosis?
Due to her health issues, many voters questioned whether Feinstein was fit to continue serving until retirement - which was expected to happen at the end of 2024.
The six-term senator, however, was determined to continue working.
“I’m back in Washington, voting and attending committee meetings while I recover from complications related to a shingles diagnosis," Feinstein wrote in a statement that her office provided to The New York Times.
"I continue to work and get results for California."
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Was Dianne Feinstein married?
Feinstein married Richard Blum in 1980 while she was serving as the Mayor of San Francisco.
The chairman and president of Blum Capital passed away in February 2022 at the age of 86.
It was later revealed that Blum had died after a battle with lung cancer.
Feinstein and Blum did not welcome any children together.
However, Feinstein shared one child with her previous husband, Jack Berman - a daughter named Katherine Feinstein - while Blum had three daughters from his previous marriage to Andrea Schwartz.