There's no place like the House

Rep. Becky Carney is out of the hospital and plans to return to the House on Tuesday, her colleagues announced today.

Carney, a Democrat from Charlotte, suffered a cardiac arrest last week that was brought on by arrhythmia, a disturbance in the regular heartbeat. Doctors implanted a hybrid pacemaker/defibrilator and she was discharged from WakeMed hospital Sunday. She was readmitted with a fever Monday, as doctors feared an infection may have developed.

Rep. Deborah Ross, a Raleigh Democrat, announced on the House floor today that Carney is scheduled to return to duty Tuesday. In her honor, Ross encouraged lawmakers to wear their own version of one of Carney's favorite accoutrements: red shoes. Ross said male House members could substitute a red tie, as she expected they did not have red shoes, with the possible exception of the often nattily-attired Rep. Larry Womble, a Winston-Salem Democrat.