Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman campaigned for the U.S. Senate at a meeting and salute at Joseph A. Hardy Connalsville Airport on May 10, 2022, in Lemont Fernas, Pennsylvania.
Michael M. Santiago Getty Images
Pennsylvania Gov. John Fetterman said Friday he “almost died” after suffering a stroke days before he won the primary race for the Democratic Senate, and is not yet ready to return to the campaign.
“I had to take my health more seriously,” Feterman said in a statement issued by his campaign on Friday afternoon. “The stroke I had on May 13 did not come out of nowhere. Like many others and especially so many men, I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I was not feeling well.”
“I almost died as a result,” he said.
Feterman, 52, has vowed to be ready to run in the November general election. But he acknowledged that “it will take time for me to return to the campaign, as if I were at the beginning of the primary.”
Doctors advise Feterman to rest and focus on his recovery.
“It’s disappointing – even more so because it’s my own fault – but be patient, I need a little more time,” he said. “I’m not 100% back yet, but I’m getting closer every day.”
“This race is so important for Pennsylvania and the country. I will be ready for it and I can’t wait to get back on track,” he said.
The campaign also shared a letter from Dr. Ramesh Chandra, who wrote that if Feterman “takes his medication, eats healthily and exercises, he will recover” and “he should be able to campaign and serve in the US Senate without issue “
Chandra also noted that Feterman was diagnosed in 2017 with an irregular heartbeat and a “reduced heart pump.”
The statement from Feterman’s campaign came a day after NBC News reported that some Democrats were worried about the nominee’s health and the lack of a timetable for his return to the election campaign.
Feterman will face the eventual winner of the Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania. The two leaders in this race are Dr. Mehmet Oz, the famous doctor backed by former President Donald Trump, and former hedge fund manager Dave McCormick.
The countdown should be completed by next Tuesday. Counties must submit their results by noon ET the next day.
The Democratic primary, in contrast, was a landslide victory for Feterman. He won every county in the state, NBC News predicts.
The battle for the seat vacated by Republican Sen. Pat Toomey may be one of the most competitive and consistent by-elections. Democrats are trying to maintain their narrow power over the Senate, which is evenly divided between 50 Republicans and 50 senators who meet with Democrats.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ river vote gives Democrats the slightest majority in the House.
Feterman’s campaign says it raised $ 1.6 million in just 24 hours after he won the primary. These donations came just after Feterman underwent a successful pacemaker operation on election day.
Feterman’s statement on Friday highlighted his blow as a warning story about health care.
“I want to encourage others not to make the same mistake,” he said.
“In 2017, I had swollen legs and went to the hospital to be examined. Then I learned that I had heart disease. Then I did not follow. I thought that weight loss and exercise would be enough. Of course not, “Feterman said.
“It’s not something I’m proud of, but I hope others can learn. So please: listen to your body and be aware of the signs. Because you ignore them – and avoid the doctor because you may not like what they have to tell you – it can cost you your life, “he said.
“I want to emphasize that this is completely preventable,” Feterman said, noting that his cardiologist said that if he continued to take blood thinners, “I would never have a stroke.”
“I did not do what the doctor told me. But I will not repeat this mistake,” he said. “Caring for others is important, but you need to include yourself there.”
Chandra of the Pittsburgh-based Alliance Cardiology said in a letter that after diagnosing Fetterman with atrial fibrillation in 2017, “I had prescribed medication along with improved diet and exercise and asked him to follow up again in the coming months.”
“Instead, I didn’t see him again until yesterday,” Chandra wrote. “John has not seen a doctor in five years and has not continued to take his medication.
Chandra also said that Feterman’s pacemaker “works perfectly and he does well.”
“I believe this time he is taking his recovery and health very seriously,” Chandra wrote.
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