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Dayton Makes 1st Public Appearance Since Surgery

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Mayo Clinic doctors removed the governor's prostate last Thursday.

The governor's team had said he would be back to work and in front of reporters Monday, but he waited until Friday.

Dayton has been to the Mayo before for hip surgery and back surgeries during his six years in office.

Dayton has often used a cane to get around because of back and leg pain but on Friday, he walked into a bill signing on his own, telling reporters he felt "fit."

"I feel fit and I don't take any pain medication except for Tylenol once or twice a day," Dayton said. "So, I feel clear-headed and up to speed."

Dayton collapsed during his State of the State address in January, prompting speculation about his health.

The governor attributed his fainting to dehydration and announced the next day he had prostate cancer.

Dayton opted to have his prostate removed last week at Mayo Clinic instead of radiation.

"I feel pretty good," Dayton said. "The aftermath of surgery is not enjoyable but the important news is I got an absolutely clean pathology report that showed no evidence of any spread of the cancer beyond the prostate."

While doctors recommend four weeks of recovery time away from work for most patients, Dayton had planned to be back making public appearances in just a few days.

It ended up taking a week.

Mayo Clinic doctors have said they do not believe there is any reason Dayton should not be able to complete his term which ends in 2019.

After Friday's bill signing, the governor said he was heading back to Mayo for another post-surgery checkup.

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