Governor recovering from shoulder surgery

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is recovering from surgery Friday on his right shoulder.

"Everything went well. He's out of surgery and he's resting at the mansion," the governor's spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, said after Huntsman's successful arthroscopic procedure at University Hospital to repair a torn rotator cuff.

The governor ripped a major tendon last week while lifting weights. But Dr. David Petron, the University of Utah orthopedic and sports medicine specialist who diagnosed the injury, said Huntsman had been having problems for some time with his shoulder.

He is expected to wear a sling for at least a month and has no meetings scheduled until Wednesday. Those will be held at the Governor's Mansion, Roskelley said, adding Huntsman's schedule is being lightened to give him time to recuperate.

"It'll be a bit of a recovery over the next several weeks at least," she said. "That's also the reason it's nice he could do it now because in between the two holidays (July 4th and Pioneer Day) is a lighter time in general."

And, Roskelley said, Huntsman will have some "compassionate company" at the Governor's Mansion since two of his seven children recently have been treated for medical problems — son Jon III for a broken leg and daughter Mary Anne for a pulmonary embolism.