John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Senate candidate, releases updated letter from his doctor
Democratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman's campaign released an updated letter from his doctor on Wednesday, five months after he suffered a stroke only days before the state primary and as he faces ongoing questions about his health from Republican opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz.
The new letter is dated Oct. 15 one day after the campaign says Fetterman had a follow-up visit with his primary care physician. It states overall that the Senate candidate is recovering well from his stroke and his health continues to improve.
"He has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office," writes Dr. Clifford Chen of UPMC.
Since returning to the campaign trail this summer – Fetterman has been using a closed captioning device to read questions during interviews as he continues to struggle with auditory processing challenges during his recovery.
"He spoke intelligently without cognitive deficits," his doctor wrote. "His speech was normal and he continues to exhibit symptoms of an auditory processing disorder which can come across as hearing difficulty. Occasional words he will "miss" which seems like he doesn't hear the word but it is actually not processed properly. His hearing of sound such as music is not affected."
The letter said that his communication has significantly improved compared to his first visit. The candidate has been attending speech therapy on a regular basis since the stroke. According to the letter, Fetterman's physical exam was normal with blood pressure 116/82. He also had a regular heart rate and his lung exam was clear.
"The Lt. Governor takes appropriate medications to optimize his heart condition and prevent future strokes," the letter states It also says he can walk four to five miles regularly without difficulty.
According to FEC filings, Chen has donated to Fetterman's campaign in the past and the Democratic party.
Fetterman returned to campaigning in person in mid-August. Since then he has been holding rallies across the state. Most recently, he appeared Tuesday evening for a rally in Butler County, just outside Pittsburgh. Fetterman continues to address his stroke on the stump, crediting his wife Gisele for saving his life.
"Since my stroke five months ago, one of the best parts of this campaign has been the unbelievable number of Pennsylvanians who have shared their own stories with us about the major health problems they've faced and overcome in their lives," Fetterman said in a statement upon releasing the doctor's letter. "It reminds me why I'm fighting to slash health care costs and make it so every Pennsylvanian can spend more time with the people they love."
Fetterman's health has become a political target of his Republican opponent Dr. Mehmet Oz who has accused him of a lack of transparency leading up to the election. Several newspaper editorial boards have also called on Fetterman to release his medical records.
Fetterman's campaign has accused Oz of rooting against his recovery.
"It's not easy recovering from a stroke in public -- let alone doing it while running in the top Senate race in the country -- but John has worked hard to get here, and it shows," Fetterman campaign senior adviser Rebecca Katz said in a statement.
Fetterman is slated to appear alongside Oz for the first and only general election debate in the Pennsylvania Senate race on Oct. 5.