It has been an up-and-down week for Invercargill city councillor Ian Pottinger.
Cr Pottinger pulled out of the Invercargill city mayoral race on Monday, saying he wanted to throw his weight behind fellow councillor Nobby Clark.
But as he was withdrawing from the mayoral race — he will seek a council seat in the forthcoming election — he was having bad headaches which were getting worse.
He initially thought it was a concussion, but earlier this week he went to Southland Hospital and got a scan, where it was discovered he had a brain bleed. He was transferred to Christchurch Hospital.
He had surgery on Thursday morning, some holes being drilled in his head.
A lot of blood had built up from the subdural haematoma.
When contacted in Christchurch yesterday he said he was feeling a lot better.
In a subdural haematoma, a bleed occurs within the skull but outside the actual brain tissue.
Cr Pottinger was expected to be back in Invercargill next week. He has been on the council since 2010.
