PHOENIX -
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio returned to work Monday after spending more than two weeks recuperating from a broken shoulder suffered when he fell while crossing a street on his way to lunch on Feb. 28th.
The 80-year-old showed up to work with a sling around his shoulder, which he says will slow him down a bit.
"I think I have to be just a little more careful. I usually average one speech a day, but I'm gonna slow down just a little and I have to make sure and do just what the doctor says because I don't want to be wearing this thing for you know, forever," said Arpaio.
The sheriff says he tripped on a sidewalk near his headquarters on his way to a restaurant to get a quick bowl of soup. He fell on his shoulder and broke it in two places. He says he came close to hitting his head on a curb, but was fortunate to walk away with no other injuries, besides a few scrapes.
"I've been shot at in gun battles around the world, now I got to get shot down for a stupid sidewalk that caused this to occur, so I'm a little angry at that, at me."
It was the only time Arpaio has been in the hospital.
"The only I asked the doctors, I wanted to know if they were republicans or democrats before they started working on me."
Arpaio says he'll be wearing his arm sling for four more weeks. After that, he'll also have physical therapy. If there was anything good about his time in the hospital, the sheriff says it's that he lost 10 pounds.
He adds that he was touched by the flowers, cards, and phone calls he got while in the hospital. The most touching visit came from Deputy Ruben Garcia who was shot on duty back in January and is still recovering.
"He visited me at the hospital. I really appreciate my deputy... I'm not talking about the high officials, my deputy showing up, when he has his own problems."
Even though he's recovering, the Sheriff says it'll be business as usual within his office and that includes immigration raids.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
