Mr. Fetterman was admitted to George Washington University Hospital last week after feeling unwell during the Democrats’ day-long retreat in the Senate. A spokesman said he spent two days in the stroke ward, where he had magnetic resonance imaging and other tests to rule out another stroke and was free of seizures. He was able to do all parts of his job, but his latest health scare convinced Mr Fetterman and his closest aides that he needed a plan. Better to take care of yourself physically and mentally.
After a life-changing stroke days before the Democratic primaries last year, Mr. Fetterman quickly reduced his schedule to recover. But he continued his campaign in one of the most competitive and closely watched Senate races in the nation.
Now, missing out on a crucial stage of recovery has become a source of pain and frustration for Mr Fetterman and those close to him, who fear he could suffer long-term consequences. could be forever. His schedule as a freshman senator means he has continued to push himself in ways that those close to him worry will be detrimental.
“I support John Fetterman and his family,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois. “This is an incredible challenge he has faced in his life. He deserves the best professional care, and I’m sure he will.”
Mr. Durbin said he was confident that Mr. Fetterman would be able to serve out his term, despite the challenges. “With the proper care he will receive, he will soon return to our ranks and join us,” he said.
During last year’s Senate race in Pennsylvania, his Republican opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz, seized on Fetterman’s health problems in an attempt to revive his struggling candidate. He’s not the only one; Republicans and conservative talk show hosts relentlessly attacked Mr. Fetterman and questioned whether he was fit to serve.
At the time, Mr. Fetterman said he was recovering quickly and living a normal life. His campaign aides insist he is healthier than the vast majority of the aging Senate.
“I am running a completely normal campaign,” Mr. Fetterman said in a statement an interview with The New York Times in September. At another point, he added, “I’m getting better and better and I’m living a completely normal life.”
