Story highlights Sen. John McCain is expected to miss at least a week in Washington due to surgery

His absence has side effects on the Republican health care plan and a defense funding bill

(CNN) Sen. Lindsey Graham said his closest friend in the Senate, Sen. John McCain, is like his old self again after surgery Friday to remove a blood clot above his left eye.

Graham said he spoke with McCain by phone on Sunday after the surgery in Arizona. He said McCain was doing much better and already itching to get back to Washington, though his doctors have told him he can't fly for a week while he recovers.

"He sounded like a different person. He clearly was a hurting guy," Graham said. "I think they relieved the pressure and he sounded like the old John McCain, dying to get back and talking about driving across the country. I said no."

Graham told CNN's Manu Raju that McCain had not been feeling well in the run-up to the surgery and was "getting forgetful."

"He'd been traveling a lot, we wrote it off that he was tired, but he was getting forgetful -- and you know he just wore himself out traveling all around the world," Graham said. "I'm glad they found out what I thought was the cause."

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