Pastor: Carter walking, ‘in good spirits’ after surgery

A spokeswoman for Carter said there were no complications from the procedure but wouldn’t give a timetable on his release.

Jimmy Carter’s pastor said the former president was “in good spirits” on Wednesday, just a day after undergoing brain surgery.

The Rev. Tony Lowden, pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, visited Carter at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

“His spirits are good, and he is up and walking,” Lowden said.

Carter was admitted to the hospital Monday to deal with bleeding near his brain, caused by a series of falls during the past few weeks.

Carter was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma and was operated on early Tuesday morning to relieve pressure on his brain.

A spokeswoman for Carter said there were no complications from the procedure but wouldn’t give a timetable on his release. He “will remain in the hospital as long as advisable for observation,” said Deanna Congileo on Tuesday.

Lowden drove to Atlanta on Wednesday with dozens of well wishes from the president’s boyhood home of Plains and his home church,

Maranatha. “Everyone is praying and concerned about him and making sure that he is OK,” Lowden said.

Lowden said he expects to field at least one question from Carter: When can he return to teaching Sunday school?

Carter, who turned 95 last month, has been teaching Sunday School regularly at Maranatha for 40 years.

After he broke his hip in May and fractured his pelvis in October, Carter missed both of his immediately scheduled classes but quickly made them up the following Sundays.

“I am going to tell him that we have everything in order at the church, and he doesn’t have to worry about anything,” Lowden said. “There is no need to rush.”

CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM Former President Jimmy Carter, seen here in June, quickly returned to teaching Sunday school after earlier falls. His pastor said he’ll advise Carter there’s “no need to rush.”