John Fetterman continues to recover well from his stroke, has no restrictions on his ability to work and can fulfill the duties of public office, according to the results of his latest medical examination.
The Democratic candidate for the open Pennsylvania Senate seat was examined by his primary care physician on Friday and a report was released by the campaign late on Tuesday to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Mr Fetterman’s health is reported as normal and he has made great progress with communication since his stroke in May, though still exhibits symptoms of problem processing audio that can be accommodated with the use of closed captioning — the subject of a recent storm triggered by NBC News reporting ahead of an interview with the candidate.
Meanwhile, Dr Mehmet Oz has come under fire for questioning whether Mr Fetterman’s wife, Gisele, would serve as de facto senator for her husband.
Dr Clifford Chen of UPMC in Duquesne compiled the report for Mr Fetterman, which provides the latest information on Mr Fetterman’s health since the release of a note from his cardiologist in June.
The report confirms the campaign and candidate’s assertions that he is in good health — Mr Fetterman’s physical exam was normal and his blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse oximetry are all within normal range.
Dr Chen reports that the Pennsylvania lieutenant governor’s strength and coordination were also normal and his lung exam was clear.
On the subject of his cognitive abilities, Dr Chen reports that Mr Fetterman “spoke intelligently without cognitive deficits”. He adds that his speech was normal but he exhibits symptoms of auditory processing disorder that can come across as difficulty hearing.
Dr Chen explains that Mr Fetterman will appear to “miss” occasional words but in fact will hear them but not process them properly. His ability to hear music is not affected.
Mr Fetterman has made significant improvements in communication compared to his first visit with Dr Chen thanks to speech therapy which he has attended on a regular basis since the stroke.
To counter the auditory processing problem, the lieutenant governor has been using closed captioning to ensure he does not miss words, and this was employed during the recent sit-down interview with NBC News.
The interview itself was ultimately overshadowed by an extemporaneous comment from journalist Dasha Burns while promoting the appearance on the network.
She told viewers that it seemed like Mr Fetterman was unable to follow their small-talk conversation ahead of the interview without the use of the closed captioning assistance.
The comment sparked a firestorm of fierce reactions, with other journalists claiming Mr Fetterman had no trouble following their conversations and Mr Fetterman’s critics pouncing and arguing it showed the candidate was not up to the task of serving as a US senator.
The candidate’s wife, Gisele Baretto Fetterman criticised the interview as ableist and has called for an apology.
Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Ms Fetterman said: “What is being done at the media after a reporter came out so openly ableist towards a person? I think shocked and appalled, but sadly not surprised. I know there’s still so much to do, but it would be great to see some accountability, to actually see real change.”
She added: “And I would love to see an apology towards the disability community from her and from her network for the damage they have caused.”
On Tuesday, Mr Fetterman will face his Republican opponent Dr Mehmet Oz in their only debate of the campaign and closed captioning will be used to ensure he is able to understand questions from the debate moderators.
Mr Fetterman has said he is unsure how long his auditory disorder will persist, admitting there is no guarantee he will fully recover, though he stressed to the Inquirer that he has been able to function one-on-one and in front of crowds which he sees as “the ultimate transparency” about his condition.
Dr Chen’s report also states that Mr Fetterman’s lab tests all came back normal and he will continue to follow up with the candidate’s neurologist and cardiologist.
He notes Mr Fetterman is exercising and is able to walk four to five miles regularly. He is also taking medication to “optimise his heart condition and prevent future strokes”.
Dr Chen concludes: “Overall, Lt Governor Fetterman is well and shows strong commitment to maintaining good fitness and health practices. He has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office.”
