John Fetterman has been hospitalized for depression for five weeks. His staff says he’ll be back soon.

Philadelphia Enquirer ^ | 3/24/2023 | Julia Terruso and Abraham Gutman

[simpson96]

Five weeks after Sen. John Fetterman’s hospitalization for clinical depression, his staff says the stay is coming to an end soon, though no certain timeline was offered for his return.

“John will be out soon,” spokesperson Joe Calvello said. “Over a week but soon. Recovery is going really well. We have an amazing team at Walter Reed.”

Fetterman’s public acknowledgment in mid-February that he was suffering from depression and decision to seek treatment were heralded by many of his colleagues as a courageous disclosure about an often stigmatized topic. Intense scrutiny over his recovery and inpatient care has continued, though, after questions about his long-term health after a stroke in May.

A five-week hospital stay is considered somewhat long for inpatient depression care. But members of Fetterman’s team have said they aren’t rushing his return and they expect him to be able to return to the key requirements of his new job.

“It’s about John getting the care he needs and not rushing this,” a senior aide told The Inquirer. “Six weeks is a grain of sand in a six-year term. He’s doing what he needs to do.”

[dfwgator]

His staff says he’ll be back soon.

Lying in State?

[Rummyfan]

Coming back soon? I’m not even sure he’s still alive.

[Intolerant in NJ]

I’ve been away from the field for a long time, but the treatment of last resort for clinical depression as serious as his sounded - and even being able to eat and all - used to be electro-shock therapy - that would be somethng to add to his resume.....

[HartleyMBaldwin]

He’s not a young man. Needs a while to recover from a lobotomy and numerous shock treatments. But he’ll be as good a senator as he ever was.

[HollyB]

Lol

[RoosterRedux]

Except for lifestyle changes, there are only 2 treatments for depression, meds and therapy. Neither required hospitalization.

There's no reason for hospitalization unless he is suicidal or unable to take care of himself day-to-day.

[Manic_Episode]

That's a LOT of electroshock therapy.
Dude needs his own wind farm.
Liberal mental illness (but I repeat myself) has a larger carbon footprint than those they are blaming their fake made up problems on.

[beethovenfan]

Body double.

[dfwgator]

It’s nice here with a view of the trees
Eating with a spoon?
They don’t give you knives?
‘Spect you watch those trees
Blowing in the breeze
We want to see you lead a normal life

-Peter Gabriel

[Jimmy Valentine]

My theory is still that he had another stroke and is in a coma. His “staff” is waiting out the limitation until the Governor can appoint a replacement.

[MinorityRepublican]

Except for lifestyle changes, there are only 2 treatments for depression, meds and therapy. Neither required hospitalization.

Usually, psychiatrists will try to adjust the dosage and have him back to work. Unless he is a threat to himself and others. Maybe he was on meds for a while and it's possible that he developed a tolerance so the doctors had to switch his meds.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Yeah, that ain't him.

CIA switcheroo, which explains why his wife fled in terror to Canada with his kids.

They made her an offer she couldn't refuse.

[miserare]

I think Medicare pays for thirty days.

they did for my mom, but that was forty years ago.

[miserare]

This sounds most plausible to me.

[verum ago]

They are trying to get the meds right. For everyone else they’d have sent home to see if the meds are working. But for him they don’t want to risk him making suicidal comments on the senate floor or to the press. So they are keeping him locked up while they get the meds “right”. And it typically takes 4-6 weeks for the meds to start working. So if they got the wrong meds they need to start over.

Or he wasn't hospitalized for depression in the first place, but something else. Given his very, very obvious issues post-stroke, I wouldn't be surprised if "depression" is just as deliberately vague and ultimately false a reason for hospitalization as "exhaustion" is for a pop-star.

I make no assertion of probability either way.

I do, however, assert that either way, the man is quite literally unfit to serve in his elected role, and clearly has been so since well before the election.

[Twotone]

PA ping...

[verum ago]

He’s not a young man. Needs a while to recover from a lobotomy and numerous shock treatments. But he’ll be as good a senator as he ever was.

I can't dispute your last statement, circumstances notwithstanding, up to and including his death and lying in state.

[toddausauras]

Hey, if you won a major senate seat after an extremely contentious months-long battle wouldn’t YOU be depressed for over a month? /s

[utax]

Had to be sure his application for Federal disability would be approved. $8,000 a month just like convicted felon jesse jackson jr..

[lightman]

Pennsylvania Ping!

Please ping me with articles of interest.

FReepmail me to be added to the list.