Christie: First Time Since Law School Asthma Put Me in Hospital

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the last time Gov. Chris Christie was taken to the hospital for asthma was when he was in high school. An earlier version also incorrectly quoted Christie as saying his phone ran out at 2 o'clock.

As he headed home Thursday night from Somerset Medical Center, Gov. Chris Christie said it was the first time since law school he needed to go to the hospital for his asthma.

Christie said he didn't feel well when he woke up Thursday morning and began to feel light-headed after using his inhaler on the way to a bill-signing event in Hillsborough.

Christie, who addressed reporters Thursday evening before leaving the Somerville hospital, blamed his breathing difficulties on the heat and humidity.

"Now, I'm going to go home and get a little sleep," the governor said.

Christie said he had been working in the hospital while awaiting his test results.

"The good news for New Jersey was that my cell phone ran out at about 2 o'clock," Christie said.

Christie said he plans to follow-up with his asthma doctor next week.

 with what doctors described as asthma-like symptoms Thursday morning. Christie, who has suffered from asthma since he was 15, was given an EKG and chest X-Ray, but no problems were found according to Maria Comella, deputy chief of staff for communications for the governor's office.

Comella also said Christie cleared his last physical in fall 2010, and regularly carries an inhaler with him. He retained full executive authority Thursday.

Christie’s weight has been a public subject. In a recent CNN interview special with Piers Morgan, Christie commented about his weight, saying, “I know that it would be better for my kids if I got it more under control.” Later in the broadcast, Christie’s daughter Sarah said, “I just want him to be healthy and I think he’d be happier. And I just think it would be one less thing people could say about him.”

His weight became part of the conversation in the race for governor in 2009. Christie at one point asked then-incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine to “man up” and call him fat on a morning radio show during the campaign.

Christie was being driven to a bill-signing event in Hillsborough on Thursday when he felt out of breath. He was to sign three land preservation and open space bills at Doyle’s Farm at 10:30 a.m, but was unable to make the event.

It will be rescheduled, though Hillsborough Township Administrator Mike Merdinger could not comment when the bill signing would occur or whether it would still be in Hillsborough.

Hillsborough Mayor Gloria McCauley also said she didn't know when the bills would be signed, nor if the event would still be held in the township.

“I can’t say anything about it being cancelled because it was health-related,” Mayor Gloria McCauley said. “We hope it can be rescheduled and in Hillsborough.”

The bills will increase funding for open space and land preservation throughout the state, and the signing was to occur at one of the 10,000 acres of preserved land in Hillsborough.

“It effects all the towns in the state,” Merdinger said. “The bill is for open space, not directly for farmland, but open space is open space.”

Eileen Oldfield and Rick Burchfield contributed to this story.