John Fetterman releases letter from cardiologist, statement on his health

BRADDOCK, Pa. — Lieutenant Governor and candidate for U.S. Senate John Fetterman has released a letter from his cardiologist and a statement on his health following a stroke he suffered last month.

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Fetterman’s stroke was caused by a clot from his heart “being in an A-fib rhythm for too long.” He had a defibrillator put in last month for his condition.

“If he does what I’ve told him, and I do believe that he is taking his recovery and his health very seriously at this time, he should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem,” Fetterman’s cardiologist, Dr. Ramesh R Chandra, said.

Dr. Chandra said Fetterman is “well compensated and stable,” and that his defibrillator is “working perfectly.”

In a statement released on Friday, Fetterman said he should have taken his health more seriously.

“The stroke I suffered on May 13 didn’t come out of nowhere. Like so many others, and so many men in particular, I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I didn’t feel well,” Fetterman wrote. “As a result, I almost died. I want to encourage others to not make the same mistake. Back in 2017, I had swollen feet and went to the hospital to get checked out. That’s when I learned I had a heart condition. Then, I didn’t follow up. I thought losing weight and exercising would be enough. Of course it wasn’t.”

“I want to emphasize that this was completely preventable. My cardiologist said that if I had continued taking the blood thinners, I never would have had a stroke. I didn’t do what the doctor told me. But I won’t make that mistake again. Taking care of others is important but you must include yourself in there too,” he said.

Fetterman ended his statement saying he was ready to get back to campaigning:

“This race is so important for Pennsylvania and for the country. I’m going to be ready for it, and I can’t wait to get back on the trail.”

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