Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg missed a Supreme Court session for the first time Monday after undergoing surgery last month.
Ginsburg was not on the bench Monday when the Supreme Court met for its first day of oral arguments this year, CNN reported.
According to the court’s spokesperson, Ginsburg is still recovering from last month’s surgery to remove two cancerous nodules from her lung but would still be able to vote on cases by reviewing transcripts of the court arguments.
Ginsburg, 85, has never missed an oral argument despite past bouts of cancer. She underwent surgery in 1999 for colorectal cancer and was treated for pancreatic cancer 10 years later.
Ginsburg was released from the hospital two weeks ago. According to the court, there were no signs of cancer after the surgery.
It was Ginsburg’s second health scare last year after she fractured her ribs after a fall last November.
Doctor says no need to worry:
Dr. Robert Miller of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center told CNN that it was not “alarming” that Ginsburg was not back at work three weeks after her surgery but added he would be concerned "if her activity level does not improve over the next few weeks."
"It's an uncomfortable operation," Miller said. "She already had the rib fractures to deal with when she went into it."
Ginsburg vows to stay on as long as possible:
Ginsburg has vowed to stay on the court for as long as she can. Trump critics have long been concerned that the president may get another Supreme Court vacancy to fill if she steps down or is unable to serve.
"I said I will do this job as long as I can do it full steam," she said last month.
CNN previously reported that Ginsburg hired new law clerks for at least two terms, signaling she intends to stay on the court through 2020.
