Mayor Returns To Work After Health Scare

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Bronchitis and upper respiratory problems rushed Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to the hospital.

Christie Ileto spoke with the mayor at her first public appearance and has more on her first day back.

She' was back on the job Tuesday following a medical scare.

"I'm feeling a lot better. I overdid it," Rawlings-Blake said.

Tuesday's quiet public appearance is Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's first.

Our cameras spotted the emergency when bronchitis and an upper respiratory infection sent her to the University of Maryland Medical Center during the Star Spangled Spectacular.

"Instead of taking care of myself, I just kept taking over the counters, saying `Just give me something so I can keep working' and you know, that's not right. It just caught up with me," she said.

This isn't the first time she's been hospitalized while in office. She had a scare in March 2010, a month after being thrust into her new post and helping Baltimore wrestle with two record-setting snow storms.

"I knew that I'd rather be safe than sorry," she said.

At that time, she was taken to Shock Trauma and discharged the same day with a clean bill of health.

"It was a big wake up call. I can't push myself all the time," she said.

A lesson unfortunately learned the hard way.

Since the health scare, friends and even city residents have reminded the mayor it's important for her to take care of herself.

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