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Democrat Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman is in the hospital again, this time with clinical depression.
It has been a tough time for the senator who has been hospitalized two times this month and some have called on him to resign from his job, but his team said to NBC News that is not being considered.
“While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks,” Adam Jentleson, Fetterman’s Chief of Staff said when his team announced the senator’s situation on Thursday.
“After examining John, the doctors at Walter Reed told us that John is getting the care he needs, and will soon be back to himself,” he said, but he did not indicate how long the senator would be on the shelf.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., "checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to receive treatment for clinical depression,” his chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, said. @ryanobles reports on the latest. pic.twitter.com/NOfB2og0aL
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 17, 2023
Fetterman checked himself into a hospital to deal with rising bouts of depression following a major stroke last spring and lingering ill effects from that incident. The freshman senator checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Thursday, according to his chief of staff, “to receive treatment for clinical depression,” according to CNN.
“On Monday, John was evaluated by Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress. Yesterday, Dr. Monahan recommended inpatient care at Walter Reed. John agreed, and he is receiving treatment on a voluntary basis,” Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson noted in a statement, the outlet reported.
Fetterman suffered a major stroke in May. After staying off the campaign trail for a few months, he jumped back in time to engage in some fundraisers and a disastrous debate against his Trump-backed Republican opponent, TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz, both of whom were vying for retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey’s seat.
Fetterman’s wife, Gisele, noted on Thursday that she is “so proud of him for asking for help,” CNN noted.
“After what he’s been through in the past year, there’s probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John. I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs,” she tweeted. “This is a difficult time for our family, so please respect our privacy.”
After what he’s been through in the past year, there’s probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John. I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs. pic.twitter.com/SfuwWTSUcG
— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) February 16, 2023
It comes after his office announced that he had left the hospital after a two-day stay after the Pennsylvania Democrat suffered an episode of dizziness.
“A few minutes ago, Senator Fetterman was discharged from the hospital. In addition to the CT, CTA, and MRI tests ruling out a stroke, his EEG test results came back normal, with no evidence of seizures. John is looking forward to returning to the Senate on Monday,” his spokesman Joe Calvello said on Twitter.
NEWS: A few minutes ago, Senator Fetterman was discharged from the hospital.
In addition to the CT, CTA and MRI tests ruling out a stroke, his EEG test results came back normal, with no evidence of seizures.
John is looking forward to returning to the Senate on Monday.
— Joe Calvello (@the_vello) February 10, 2023
As the 53-year-old senator began day three in the hospital for what his team called “lightheadedness” The New York Times said that some of those close to Sen. Fetterman are concerned about his health.
His transition from candidate to senator has been made tougher by the strains of both the campaign and the job, The New York Times reported.
He “has had to come to terms with the fact that he may have set himself back permanently by not taking the recommended amount of rest during the campaign. And he continues to push himself in ways that people close to him worry are detrimental,” the New York Times reported after Fetterman was hospitalized.
“What you’re supposed to do to recover from this is do as little as possible,” Adam Jentleson, Fetterman’s Chief of Staff, told the Times. But Fetterman “was forced to do as much as possible — he had to get back to the campaign trail. It’s hard to claw that back.”
Even one of his Senate colleagues said that an adjustment has had to be made.
“We’re going to have to learn our own styles with it,” Minnesota Democrat Senator Amy Klobuchar said after experimenting with the tablet at a Democratic caucus lunch. “What I was saying was accurate even when I talked fast. I wanted to make sure it was accurate. It was kind of to imagine what it would be like to be him.”
“He answers like you would answer anyone,” she said. “It’s us that have to get used to it; he’s used to it.”
Because of his limitations, he has not been able to speak to reporters at the Capitol as he walks from room to room.
“Before the stroke, he was the kind of person who loved the give-and-take with reporters,” his chief of staff said. “The challenge is to be able to get back to that place, given the current limitations.”
