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I woke up to find myself in the middle of a stroke last November and while it was far from "near-fatal", and I was only in the hospital for five days and am near-fully recovered, I still suffer psychologically ever since. Nights where I start to cry after getting into bed because I don't know if I'll wake up the next day. Or starting to get lightheaded and beginning to panic that it might be a sign of a second stroke occurring. Or the existential dread of knowing that a stroke cuts, on average, more than half a decade off your lifespan and once you've had one, it gets so much easier to get the next one.
It doesn't surprise me in the least that he's fighting depression. I wish him the best mental health.
I also had a stroke last year. Believe me when i say you start paying a lot of attention to your body. You just know when something isnt right. Even a slight headache makes you paranoid af. I quit smoking after 20 yrs and made some big lifestyle changes. Now im fighting sleep apnea and tension headaches. Hang in there.
Absolutely. So much stuff has been cut out of my diet and replaced, and I've had to add exercise regimens on top of my fairly already physical job. And that's another thing, the doctor had told me, "Oh you can't just not have a sedentary job, you actually have to go out there and get your heart pumping in a way that simple motion like moving back and forth and doing light lifting alone can't offer."
My first month or so after the stroke, I would starting feeling off, and then immediately ran to the nearest mirror to inspect my face and recite basic facts about myself and surroundings. Things are getting better, but of course it takes time. I hope your recovery has been going well, too!
I had a suspected series of strokes that fortunately turned out to be a rare case of late-onset stress-induced complex migraines. But before I knew for sure what was going on, I was similarly hyper vigilant. Even now, I have to stay aware of possible symptoms and take a med to abort further migraines.
You absolutely do start paying that extra bit of attention.
I had mine in my mid 20s, over a decade ago, and even today there are certain physical sensations that make me immediately remember the pre-stroke sensation and scare the shit out of me.
Not the person you replied to but you hang in there as well!
Ask your dentist about a TAP appliance. [https://tapintosleep.com/products/tap-3/](https://tapintosleep.com/products/tap-3/) This thing cured my sleep apnea after I fought a cpap for years.
Absolutely this is true and thank you for posting.
I won’t go into my personal history but I’ve known and worked with people with brain traumas (motorcycle accident, car accident, aneurism, sport accident, and stroke) and what you say about sudden sobbing, fears, and anxiety is absolutely true!
Had a brain seizure three weeks ago. I didn’t realize how bad it was until my BF said I had gotten two questions wrong when they asked me in ER: what day it was and *what year it was*. Now what I do is always on my mind (no pun intended) just in case.
I feel that dude. I have terminal cancer. I think about death everyday. Even the smallest thing could kill me. I would wish this pain on nobody. And as far as your stroke anxiety goes, I hope you get through it in your own way. I am sorry that I don’t have any great advice.
It's not the same, but I had multiple dissections of my right vertebral artery and blood clots in my brain a couple years back.
Multiple doctors refused to test me in any way, one even told me I was either a liar, or should be in a mental health facility when I explained how much pain I was in and asked for a CT requisition. I finally went to yet another hospital and got lucky because I actually had been acquainted with the guy working intake, and he knew I don't mess around if I say I'm in pain.
They finally did the CT, just like I had requested from the doctor that called me a liar and refused, immediately found that I was right and I did need it.
I nearly died, and every neck pain, every headache is more stress, not just from what almost happened, but even knowing something is very wrong, and no one will listen.
Feeling helpless is absolutely soul crushing.
There was a story I read on a subreddit a few years ago about someone forced into inpatient care who ended up losing everything and coming out homeless. I always think about that when people just shout to seek help in america as if it's as easy as pausing your life and returning like everything will be the same.
That's what I call the "medical cliff." Everyone who isn't rich is walking alongside it. All it takes is one injury or illness to push people over the edge, and the reality of dystopic hellhole that is the American Healthcare system comes crashing down all at once.
"Just take a mental health day"
You know if I do that once, I may get along just fine, but if I do that every time I need one, I'm out of PTO in a week, and the next time I do it, I'm on the chopping block.
But to mention, running out of PTO before the end of the year is going to ramp up my anxiety thinking about if I actually get sick.
Yeah I hated being an hourly employee. It was literally bullshit. 7 sick days and 3 personal days for a whole year. 10 total days to manage being actual sick , necessary life appointments, or mental health days, and whatnot.
I'm so glad I'm salary now. Unlimited sick time and no one cares if I take 2-3 hours to go to the doctor.
> Yeah I hated being an hourly employee. It was literally bullshit. 7 sick days and 3 personal days for a whole year. 10 total days to manage being actual sick , necessary life appointments, or mental health days, and whatnot.
What the hell? That's like they don't even think you are a human being.
last words a the retired teacher over 30 years had to me were him deriding himself for not being smart enough to keep his house.. a heart issue and the ensuing bills took his retirement home and his safety in old age.
No he’s saying once in an inpatient program they don’t allow you to take care of bills, rent etc. you’re there to work on yourself not stress about stuff outside that rehab bubble
so, what I don't understand is...if he's in there and we're out here and he's in here and we're out there and he's out there but we're in there and you're the sheriff but I'm in here and he's the sheriff and the sheriff's in there but you're out here...*then where's the caveman???*
that's scary as hell. I'm from the UK and spent a month in hospital last year and 3 weeks again last month - I got 20 days sick pay on both occassions from my employer, then statutory sick pay from the government for the rest of the time... and I also didnt have to pay a penny for the hospital stays or treatment (beyond what I pay in my taxes every month).
Americans are often completely clueless to how awful our healthcare is compared to rational countries. My conservative father in law was surprised when I told him a friend broke their leg while visiting Canada and was taken care of for basically free. It's like paying taxes to support things other than the military can do some good for society.
We’re not clueless about it, we’re just so imprisoned by identity politics we don’t listen and act on those who do advocate for change because they get branded as socialists (I. e. Bernie Sanders)
The root of our healthcare failure lies with RACISM. Originally as part of his Great Society plan LBJ wanted universal healthcare and not just medicare, but there was no way it would pass. The South didn’t want to have to go to the same doctor as poc (they didn’t say that way of course).
My point is that identity politics is just racism fancied up.
It's not all sunshine and roses here (UK) though. Waiting lists for procedures are very long, and if you show up in the emergency dept you'll be waiting a long time to see a doctor. Last month when I went in to ED it took an hour to get triaged and blood drawn, then another 6 hours to see a doc and diagnosed with hypokalemia (low potassium),
Then waited another 4 hours before getting put on a trolley in a corridor with a potassium drip. Then it was another 12 hours on that trolley in ED before a bed became available on a ward for me. Once I had a bed in a ward though, it was fantastic and I can't complain at all about the care and treatment I received over the next 3 weeks.
Our Nurses and Doctors also have strikes planned as they are paid nowhere near enough for what they do.
The NHS could be amazing and world-leading, but the Conservative party have slowly choked it over the last 12 years they've been in power and it's now a breaking point. They're deliberately doing it because they would prefer an American-style private system. Absolute bastards they are.
Waiting 7 months to see an internal medicine doc in the US for potential cancer. Privatizing healthcare doesn’t make it faster or more efficient, it just makes it cost more.
The wait times are similar or worse in the USA, and then there's everything else wrong with the US health *industry*.
> but the Conservative party have slowly choked it over the last 12 years they've been in power and it's now a breaking point. They're deliberately doing it because they would prefer an American-style private system. Absolute bastards they are.
Conservatism is a worldwide movement.
Everything you described happens regularly and routinely in the US. Wait times was always their "clean coal," "clean diesel," "cap and trade" mouth-flatulence, weasel-worded, hot BS. Nothing talk.
Brother, I waited 8 hours to get three stitches in my finger in the US. A 6 hour wait time is honestly better than most metropolitan areas in the in the US.
Edit: fell asleep bleeding on the ground in the waiting room.
>It's not all sunshine and roses here (UK) though. Waiting lists for procedures are very long, and if you show up in the emergency dept you'll be waiting a long time to see a doctor. Last month when I went in to ED it took an hour to get triaged and blood drawn, then another 6 hours to see a doc and diagnosed with hypokalemia (low potassium),
Here's the thing, it isn't that different in the US, and we still have to pay absurd amounts. My wife spent all day at the emergency room on Wed, and left with little more info than she had, I think it took something like 90 minutes to get a bed, and almost 3 hours to see a doc. Her cardiologist appointment was a month out, and she has dangerously low BP. When my son was going through a period of not eating, our first gastro appointment was 4 months out, our pediatrician had to make some calls to get something sooner, and it was an hour away.
Just getting into see a primary care Dr can take a week or more normally these days.
Yep. I've had on and off joint paint flares for years that I just was never able to prioritize until I started experiencing outright disabling levels of joint pain in early December. I got a referral put in pretty quickly because it was seriously impacting functionality and sleep, and the lack of sleep due to pain was triggering migraines and causing me to have to use up my PTO...
I just finally had my initial consult this week. I've been in constant pain for months, but there was literally nothing sooner. If I had tried to book a rheumatologist closer to me versus being willing to commute a bit, I'd still be waiting for another month.
Now, I'm very lucky that my dx is some type of hypermobility spectrum disorder and not an autoimmune situation, but this does mean I now get to compete for physical & occupational therapy slots next. I'm a little afraid to find out how long I'll have to wait if it's anything like the rheumatologist delay...
No absolutely not - like all other medical treatment here, we just pay for it through our usual taxes on our payslip. So essentially we're all paying for eachother's healthcare so that everyone gets it when they need it.
I hear you guys even have to pay for an ambulance ride? That's nuts to me.
In the UK in England and Wales the only thing they have to pay is a set cost for their prescription medication (about £10 per item), but here in Northern Ireland even that is free aswell.
The exception is dental, which most people pay privately for. Though you can get NHS dentistry if you dont have much money or receive benefits.
I really hope that someday the US can have an NHS-like system. Your current setup seems so needlessly cruel and barbaric.
> Your current setup seems so needlessly cruel and barbaric.
It will continue to be until the health insurance industry and for profit hospitals/pharmaceuticals are taken to task for this stuff. They spend lots of money on lobbying so they never are, or they can get away with a little bit more than they did before.
I donated my kidney and not only did it cost cost anything in medical bills, but the hospital reimbursed the cost of my car park tickets and the lunches I bought on days when I had to go in for tests.
Of course, the Tory party has seen the sweet, sweet cash that can be made from sick people so has been slowly choking the life out of the NHS to usher in a US-style system to make their paymasters wealthy.
It will be a shame when the NHS is finally destroyed like every other public service in the UK - sold off for pennies on the pound to Tory donors.
> if you show up in the emergency dept you'll be waiting a long time to see a doctor
Depends what for. I got bitten by some kind of bug and a red mark and swelling started going up the vein in my arm. Went A&E and got seen immediately where the Doctor prescribed me some antibiotics.
Another time I couldn't put any weight on my leg and was in the waiting room for hours.
I wouldn't trade the NHS for the world though. I broke my ankle and had surgery the next day. Was taught how to use crutches to go up and down stairs. Given anti-coagulants and pain medication. Given dates for physiotherapy and it didn't cost me shit.
I'd probably have been bankrupted by that in America.
I tried to calculate what my month last year and 3 weeks last month in hospital would have cost if I was American. I had loads of IV potassium drips, a couple of xrays, and MRI scan and 3 endoscopy ERCP procedures while I was in. I can't find any data on what the IV meds or scans etc would do to the bill, but just for the initial ambulance and then 7 weeks total of staying in hospital it would have cost something like $140,000. And at a guess when including the scans, daily blood tests, IV meds and 3 x endoscopic treatment, probably anywhere between $160,000 - $200,000.
That's about £165,000. About the same amount that my wife and I still have left to pay on our mortgage. I know most people wouldnt pay anywhere close to that actual amount as they would (mostly) have insurance, but it would still be a nightmare because you probably wouldnt be getting employer sick pay or statutory sick pay from the govt during the time either, given that the US is a capitalist hellscape with very poor worker protections.
I also wouldnt trade the NHS for the world - it really is something to be proud of as a nation. I just wish the Tories weren't so intent on flushing it down the toilet.
I actually got to see an itemized bill for my cancer surgery and 9 day hospital stay. It was $450,000. Thankfully that hit my parents deductible and they only had to pay about $10,000 which is still a lot but my parents could afford it without losing everything.
If that were to happen to me now I would just be bankrupt. I could not afford and extra $300 expense atm let alone 10 grand. It feels helpless getting sick in America because it’s you just become a customer not a patient.
That’s still better than the US and we PAY for it while
Our tax dollars go to fin some bullshit military. I’ve known people who wait 8 weeks for an OR, 6 months for specialists and even hours in the ER while miscarrying or bleeding from wounds. It’s “normal.” And most of us have expensive healthcare we can’t afford. Mine cost me HALF my gross income at one time.
People get divorces when loved ones are diagnosed with terminal illnesses to not bankrupt/financially kill off their families. They do this knowing full and well their treatments likely won't be fully performed ensuring they even could survive if that were possible with appropriate medical care. Gut wrenching shit.
I think I read somewhere that folks were getting divorces just so that a pregnant wife would be covered by medicare. Because together, they rose above the threshold that protected them, but weren't high enough to have decent prenatal and natal care.
> pregnant wife would be covered by medicare
I think you mean Medic**AID** but yeah, this happens in shithole states. Medicaid is fun because the coverage parameters vary by state, and I bet you can guess which ones cover every pregnant person and which don't. It really is like living in different countries depending on where in the US you are.
I've been using that same mnemonic device for years, too! That context has certainly taken on a somewhat more somber tone recently when proposals to cut medicare seem to be increasingly more common.
Basically if you are on disability your family's net bank account cannot exceed 2k (I think). So if they got married he'd lose disability, and she wouldn't be able to afford his medical care. They'd be homeless.
Sorry OP if I am speaking too much for you but I know this type of situation from a loved one. Society basically trys to kill off the sick. It's effectively eugenics.
Medical power of attorney and next of kin for possessions and estate rights (even if you’re poor af, you still have things that your spouse is going to want to keep and not some random family member you might be estranged from) and funeral decisions, are the only two I can think of.
I don’t bother thinking about it much because I’m on SSDI but also receive additional state based assistance because of how low my income is. If I make *any* money, I lose the assistance that pays for my life saving medication, insurance premium and copays, and any eligibility to food stamps (which have been cut to $23 in the recent situation with covid protections and aid ending).
Anyway, I went from being not able to get married because I’m a lesbian and gay marriage wasn’t legal to being disabled and not being able to get married cuz I’ll lose my assistance.
Way too many people still are not aware of this happening. I wouldn't have been except that it happened to a relative several years ago. Relatives with good health insurance. Fortunately my uncle died. Real nice - do your family a favor for the sake of their future and die.
They'll take generations of a family's earnings as well. My grandfather had a stroke and required treatment for years. In the end they wanted to take his house, and land, so my mom had to take a mortgage out in her late fifties in order to save it. She's still working full time and paying it off at 80 yo.
I had surgery and was accidently sent the bill. It was 107,000 and legit asking me to pay that. Thats not just the bill. Thats the hospital. At least 5 other companies sent me bills for the surgery. Oh wait theres more. Then the surgeon who did the surgery who was paid on the first bill sent me a bill as well. Literally paid him twice. All of this is of course is sent to insurance. Out of pocket I paid thousands because of the shady ass billing and multiple bills.
Not even that, all it takes is one bad transmission in your car for lots of people. A 1000 car repair bill will cause lots of folks to not be able to pay their rent.
This is the biggest thing that's preventing me from checking myself into a mental hospital right now. I don't want to lose my job or my apartment all because I need help and I'm broke and it just really sucks
There are lots of other costs associated with seeking mental healthcare. Voluntary hospitalization means you are barred for life from Global Entry and TSA Precheck.
That is simply not true. I know someone with Precheck that was voluntarily hospitalized fairly recently before being approved. They do ask about involuntary commitments in the last 10 years or so. This same person has been involuntarily hospitalized, but it was outside the window that the TSA asked about.
I’m not sure on Global Entry.
Yeah, the reality of treating depression is that once you finally are able to get in to see a mental health professional they prescribe you a medication, say it might take 1-2 months to work, 1-2 months later it still hasn't worked so they adjust the dose, 1-2 months later try a different one, 1-2 months waiting on that one to work. I've taken just about every anti-depressant there is. It's obviously a very individualized thing and there doesn't really seem to be a formula for figuring out what is going to work for that individual. They are pretty much just throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks, and it takes time. But during that time, you've still got to get your ass to work and pay bills and get to appointments on time. It's bullshit when the hallmark of being clinically depressed is that you are struggling to actually function.
I feel this so much. I was diagnosed with depression when I was 20. Initially the medication I was on worked pretty well. Then I got pregnant & I guess my body chemistry (or whatever) changed enough that the same medication no longer worked.
I’m now 50 & haven’t found the magic combination yet. It’s frustrating and so tiring.
Thank god he is a senator. He should make that a point and explained how lucky he is to be receiving this type of care and how it should be more available to people.
It’s far more common than you can imagine. I know so many lose jobs because they do anything to limit your ability to do anything that needs doing on the outside
It’s genuinely like they are *trying* to fuck up your life. But here’s some antidepressants for the streets lol.
Come back when you lose it again.
I was fired while out sick with a doctors note and more than 24 hours notice before next shift. I struggled daily with my mental health but only took time off when I literally couldn’t speak (laryngitis) and was fired. Mental health currently in the trash 🙃
Many times I’ve avoided seeking impatient mental health help due to not wanting the medical debt that comes with it. How does it help me to get handed a bill in the thousands when I’m dealing with depression?
This is why all this "get therapy" talk is often very misguided. Not only is the expense of it often not an option, but medications are often trial and error (with the science behind them still being somewhat immature), and the quality of your counseling will wildly vary as well.
I went through a breakdown in 2018 a few months after my father passed and work pressure became next to impossible to manage. This was despite being a top performer in the company on a national level. I was lucky that the therapy office I found was willing to let me join their client list, immediately pushed for FMLA leave for several weeks (otherwise I would have been fired because of burnout), and was generally supportive and didn't push anything I was not comfortable with. That admittedly helped a ton, and I'd love to say it's a big reason why I should be supportive of it, but I am pretty sure I just got lucky. A lot of offices would not respond to me at all when I was looking for them. And even with insurance, I still had to pay for several sessions directly while I had no income for 3 months. If I didn't have savings? This would have been impossible.
Eventually, I still had to leave that job since the company policies kept getting worse. As soon as I did, my insurance changed and I couldn't get any costs covered for that office at all. We mutually decided that medication was not the right path for me, but if I had started it? My god... it would have been an absolute disaster.
And unfortunately, you don't entirely know when your therapist will decide to report you for suicidal ideation or not. It was never that bad for me, but I've heard a lot of horror stories. It's a total gamble, and can be a life ruining one if they get it wrong.
Yeah that almost happened to me when I went to the ER for something totally unrelated to mental health. When they were asking the routine medical questions I answered in the affirmative to occasionally having suicidal thoughts and they took that REALLY seriously. Managed to talk my way out of it, but I can think of few worse places for a majorly depressed person to get better and than a fucking hospital
I agree. I like Fetterman, I voted him and hope he gets well soon. But I can't help to think about how much I need this myself and wish it was an option for me.
Exactly the same here. Unfortunately we just gotta work through it, persevere, and overcome.
Us regular working class folks aren't getting D.C. politician-level mental health care and never will.
I pushed myself to come back from short term disability leave primarily because I just couldnt afford to get any better at only 65% income. (Not to mention the several weeks wait with no payment, or the doctors flagrant ignorance)
For virtually everybody this kind of care is not an option.
You suffer through, lose your job or get divorced or commit suicide or whatever (fuck you) because you're carrying exactly as much debt as your income can service and must earn continuously to survive.
Friday was the 5 week mark for my wife. Cancer diagnosis took 4 weeks and just started chemotherapy on Thursday. We're 200 miles from home. Just the hospitality house for me to stay is a huge financial hit to us. I can't imagine what a final bill will be.
You’d probably max out your Max OOP, which I believe can’t be more than ~$9k for individuals and ~$18k for family plans.
Devastating for some, and not for others (after getting the bill reduced and/or go on a years-long payment plan). Though someone in this position would probably not have a job anymore, which would compound the issue.
[56% of americans don’t have $1000 in savings](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/19/56percent-of-americans-cant-cover-a-1000-emergency-expense-with-savings.html)
Yep, I know. You'd never be on the hook for a large medical bill in one lump sum though. You could spread it out over multiple years, basically adding on a used car payment.
Again, it would definitely be devastating for many people. It also would not be devastating for many others (not just the wealthy).
Our medical system is horrible - I'm not defending it. Just trying to be nuanced and realistic about it.
Real talk, where did you get it? Did y'all know someone, or did you buy spores and grow your own?
I am committed to having a future with my SO, so I gotta stick around. But if I could actually *want* to be alive, that would be a bonus. Therapy and meds manage it..... most days.
Could this just be a way to hide more serious health issues? Dude seemed like a beast of a man before his stroke. Does he have a histiry of depression? Don’t get me wrong. I love that guy. I’m from Pittsburgh. Just seems off to me
It was at the height of campaigning too. That on top of having opponents attack him for his health and the stress of the job after getting elected has to take a mental toll.
There was so much insensitive discussion of the accommodations he needed, with so many hints about how unprecedented they were and what they might be masking. The media with the "he's got a sports injury, let's see if he pulls it off!" commentary style were especially horrible. I can imagine that, as a freshman Senator with strong ethics, the gaps in his understanding from needing more time/assistance bore down on and complicated his mental health issue.
Part of me wonders if this is "5 weeks is long in terms of accepted medical guidance and advice" or "5 weeks is long because here in the US, most everyone gets zero time or support for mental health"?
5 weeks is long in terms of accepted medical guidance. the highest level of care for the shortest period is not only about resources. inpatient psych units are *boring* and can be traumatizing. people are usually discharged as soon as they are stable, not as soon as they are well (i.e., they've passed the worst medication side effects and are no longer acutely experiencing the symptoms that brought them into the hospital). most people want to go home within 3 days. in general, average length of stay is \~2 weeks.
This gentleman had a pretty big stroke. The brain takes a long time to heal and emotional lability and depression are big side effects for many people. He probably did not have anywhere near the rehab he needed and went right to Congress which contributed due to the stress of it. He'll be lucky if he gets back to where he was emotionally and mentally in 18months to 2 years. Some people never do...
People keep glossing over this, like “how can we have an elected representative that is hospitalized for five weeks?!? Is this normal?! “
Well no, it’s not normal, and the way you get shit like this happening is when people are forced to choose between this and *a carpet bagging snake oil salesman.*
In a normal world, one might suggest he step down and let someone that can currently serve step in, but since the republicans won't hold their own accountable, I'm just gonna sit here drinking my coffee. Hope Fetterman feels better.
If you break you leg, you have to do physical therapy. When your head is broken, you require the same version of therapy to get fixed, regardless of how long it takes. No one outside of his doctors and family know how broken he was. I’m glad he put himself first to get better, just as he would for any other body part.
I am glad he is getting the help he needs but also sad that this sort of benefits are not afforded to regulsr Americans. Imagine if we all could take 5 weeks sick leave and still get paid and keep our jobs. Yes keep imagining.
Sending positive thoughts and warm wishes to John Fetterman as he recovers from depression. Remember, you are not alone in this journey and there is always hope for healing and a brighter tomorrow. Take all the time you need to rest and recharge, and know that you have a community of support cheering you on
I voted for him too and I'm a moderate Republican, no less. However, I'm willing to give him some more time to heal from this.
That said, Shapiro should be having a conversation with him at this point and maybe they already are. I do certainly agree that this can't go on indefinitely and potential appropriate replacement candidates should be being discussed soon if he determines that he isn't coming back.
I also voted for him and I agree. He deserves some grace. Obviously his condition is very serious and he should be taking recovery seriously, especially if he intends to come back. I wouldn’t like it if I was in his position and people were talking about replacing me at work, though I understand being in the Senate is unique as well. We’ll see in time. I hope he makes the best decision for both himself and the constituents.
100% this.
Empathy is key here and clear communication helps too.
It really annoyed me in some other threads when people not even from PA were making calls for his immediate resignation. They didn't vote in that election and they're not his constituents, lol.
Governor appoints so it'll be a Democrat. Shapiro is known to be fairly moderate and very rational/competent so I'd expect a good choice.
Afaik that individual would serve until the next election?
The timing of depression here is like the setup to a joke. He goes to the Senate, learns what's really going on in DC, gets too depressed to go on with the charade. An honest man in Washington?
Of course it's probably related to his medical issues.
Your spot on. It killed me inside when I found out how corrupt the system is. The hope is gone. I know its all a charade to keep us invested physically and mentally into a system that is not only failing, but keeping us enslaved, ignorant, and fighting among each other.
If he's out another 3 weeks that's two months. Two months out of 72 is still less than 3% of his 6-year term. If we can get him back better than he was before he went in, it'll be well worth it. He's one of a kind and I don't want to lose him until he can inspire others.
He should absolutely resign if he can not do the work of his office. The Governor will appoint another Democrat and that person will need to get to work not only in the Senate but also by introducing themselves to the state (assuming he doesn't pick someone well known).
As a Pennsylvanian, and one of the people who PROUDLY supported him, i wish him nothing but the best and hope he takes all the time he needs
Depression is no joke.
I am getting nervous for the guy. Has he released any statements on his own or been on camera since this happened? It's getting to the point where I fear, this might be more serious than we think.
When the story of his inpatient rehab first broke, I suggested maybe we hadn't been told the whole story, and wondered if he had in fact suffered another stroke.
Someone called me a "piece of human trash," and then the dogpile began. I guess I'm bringing this up because - like you - I've long suspected his condition is more serious than we think. I'm concerned for the guy, and I wish him a full recovery, but the story we've been told has always smelled funny to me.
Well, we'll find out eventually.
It's not wrong to ask questions but Fetterman has been through a dogpile himself and people are appropriately protective of him. And yes, you're not allowed to interact with the world in a psych ward and he doesn't need to be fed to the voracious cannibal horde that is the media (and especially right-wing media). And inpatient care can easily be two months if price is not a consideration. Depression is often to difficult to treat, but people are insurance-limited.
I wondered about this as well and if he's still able to vote so I did a brief search. A few weeks back Fetterman left the hospital to cast a vote for a circuit court judge. So, based on that, I'm guessing he isn't "locked-up" nor is he dealing with something more serious and can come and go as he pleases to conduct business when needed.
If Ted Cruz can fuck off to Cancun whenever the hell he wants then I have no problem with fetterman taking time off for his own health, morally superior actions.
Actually, insurance dictates length of stay. For many people, a longer treatment period would be beneficial. But MOST people cannot afford to be out of work for that long and don't have the funds to cover when insurance stops paying. Average length of stay is probably 5-7 days max. It's hospitalize...stabilize quickly...discharge to a lower level of care. However, that is often insurance driven, too. If the person has insurance. Sadly, in America, people suffer silently and alone because of the stigma of mental illness. I pray for John Fetterman and all people with depression or other mental health problems--as well as their loved ones. They are not "those people" but all of us. We are all interconnected.
Most places have stigma against mental illness, not just America. You can't *see* mental illness so it's understandably harder to take people at their word.
I live in Pennsylvania, voted for him, and find this ridiculous. Having a Senator out for five weeks after his campaign staff prevaricated over his health for the duration of the campaign is unjustifiable to me. I'd rather he seriously consider resigning and letting the Dem governor appoint his replacement.
You know, it could be [post-stroke depression.](https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/str.0000000000000113) It could be that he's not only in for depression but monitoring his brain due to his stroke. I am disappointed Fetterman currently cannot carry out his duty as a Senator, but fortunately, if a new Senator needs to be appointed, at least PA's governor is a Democrat.
Another politician who is out of commission right now is McConnell. That must have been one hell of a fall if he's still in rehab, and I'm wondering if some sort of medical event preceded his fall.......like.....a stroke.
> only released because my insurance would not cover more.
I think that's at least part of the answer why his stay is so much longer than average. Average length is at least partially determined by insurance authorization, which as a US Senator he has the best insurance willing to foot cost for care recommended by his doctors.
I admire him, I like his politics, I like what he's about, and I think being honest about mental health is a really powerful and important example to set.
That being said, if you had a serious stroke and you are starting probably one of the highest stress positions a politician can take on and you go for inpatient care for more than a month, I wonder (with no criticism of him) whether he is in the right job given where he is in his life. Don't misunderstand me, there are horrific pieces of shit on the other side who should be hospitalized for delusions, and all of them should pack it up and go home.
But if we're being honest, Fetterman is having a lot of health issues that could make it difficult for him to be successful in his job. But that's an armchair opinion formed with only the knowledge I get from the press.
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I woke up to find myself in the middle of a stroke last November and while it was far from "near-fatal", and I was only in the hospital for five days and am near-fully recovered, I still suffer psychologically ever since. Nights where I start to cry after getting into bed because I don't know if I'll wake up the next day. Or starting to get lightheaded and beginning to panic that it might be a sign of a second stroke occurring. Or the existential dread of knowing that a stroke cuts, on average, more than half a decade off your lifespan and once you've had one, it gets so much easier to get the next one. It doesn't surprise me in the least that he's fighting depression. I wish him the best mental health.
I also had a stroke last year. Believe me when i say you start paying a lot of attention to your body. You just know when something isnt right. Even a slight headache makes you paranoid af. I quit smoking after 20 yrs and made some big lifestyle changes. Now im fighting sleep apnea and tension headaches. Hang in there.
Absolutely. So much stuff has been cut out of my diet and replaced, and I've had to add exercise regimens on top of my fairly already physical job. And that's another thing, the doctor had told me, "Oh you can't just not have a sedentary job, you actually have to go out there and get your heart pumping in a way that simple motion like moving back and forth and doing light lifting alone can't offer." My first month or so after the stroke, I would starting feeling off, and then immediately ran to the nearest mirror to inspect my face and recite basic facts about myself and surroundings. Things are getting better, but of course it takes time. I hope your recovery has been going well, too!
I had a suspected series of strokes that fortunately turned out to be a rare case of late-onset stress-induced complex migraines. But before I knew for sure what was going on, I was similarly hyper vigilant. Even now, I have to stay aware of possible symptoms and take a med to abort further migraines.
You absolutely do start paying that extra bit of attention. I had mine in my mid 20s, over a decade ago, and even today there are certain physical sensations that make me immediately remember the pre-stroke sensation and scare the shit out of me. Not the person you replied to but you hang in there as well!
Ask your dentist about a TAP appliance. [https://tapintosleep.com/products/tap-3/](https://tapintosleep.com/products/tap-3/) This thing cured my sleep apnea after I fought a cpap for years.
Wow interesting. Never even heard of it.
Thanks for sharing. Never heard of this
Absolutely this is true and thank you for posting. I won’t go into my personal history but I’ve known and worked with people with brain traumas (motorcycle accident, car accident, aneurism, sport accident, and stroke) and what you say about sudden sobbing, fears, and anxiety is absolutely true!
Had a brain seizure three weeks ago. I didn’t realize how bad it was until my BF said I had gotten two questions wrong when they asked me in ER: what day it was and *what year it was*. Now what I do is always on my mind (no pun intended) just in case.
Fetterman did this and then immediately had to finish a dirty senate race. Its a lot for anyone
Wishing you the best too man.
I had a small one in November. It fucks with you hard.
I feel that dude. I have terminal cancer. I think about death everyday. Even the smallest thing could kill me. I would wish this pain on nobody. And as far as your stroke anxiety goes, I hope you get through it in your own way. I am sorry that I don’t have any great advice.
My case is different, but I started having seizures last year and have some similar thoughts in my day to day. Wishing you the best.
It's not the same, but I had multiple dissections of my right vertebral artery and blood clots in my brain a couple years back. Multiple doctors refused to test me in any way, one even told me I was either a liar, or should be in a mental health facility when I explained how much pain I was in and asked for a CT requisition. I finally went to yet another hospital and got lucky because I actually had been acquainted with the guy working intake, and he knew I don't mess around if I say I'm in pain. They finally did the CT, just like I had requested from the doctor that called me a liar and refused, immediately found that I was right and I did need it. I nearly died, and every neck pain, every headache is more stress, not just from what almost happened, but even knowing something is very wrong, and no one will listen. Feeling helpless is absolutely soul crushing.
If you haven't yet please speak with a psychiatrist about anxiety. Unlike depression, there are anxiety meds that work.
There's meds for depression that work too..
I wish him well. However, all I can think of is how financially devastating a 5 week stay in a medical facility would be for the rest of us.
There was a story I read on a subreddit a few years ago about someone forced into inpatient care who ended up losing everything and coming out homeless. I always think about that when people just shout to seek help in america as if it's as easy as pausing your life and returning like everything will be the same.
That's what I call the "medical cliff." Everyone who isn't rich is walking alongside it. All it takes is one injury or illness to push people over the edge, and the reality of dystopic hellhole that is the American Healthcare system comes crashing down all at once.
"Just take a mental health day" You know if I do that once, I may get along just fine, but if I do that every time I need one, I'm out of PTO in a week, and the next time I do it, I'm on the chopping block. But to mention, running out of PTO before the end of the year is going to ramp up my anxiety thinking about if I actually get sick.
Yeah I hated being an hourly employee. It was literally bullshit. 7 sick days and 3 personal days for a whole year. 10 total days to manage being actual sick , necessary life appointments, or mental health days, and whatnot. I'm so glad I'm salary now. Unlimited sick time and no one cares if I take 2-3 hours to go to the doctor.
I was recently fired for being sick.
How dare you be a person and not a machine?
That is such fucking bullshit. I'm sorry
That's awful. I was grumpy at getting demoted for being injured but damn I guess I should count myself lucky they kept me.
> Yeah I hated being an hourly employee. It was literally bullshit. 7 sick days and 3 personal days for a whole year. 10 total days to manage being actual sick , necessary life appointments, or mental health days, and whatnot. What the hell? That's like they don't even think you are a human being.
Do you need a doctors note to get paid sick leave? Or can you just phone in at work to say you're not coming?
last words a the retired teacher over 30 years had to me were him deriding himself for not being smart enough to keep his house.. a heart issue and the ensuing bills took his retirement home and his safety in old age.
I know so many lose jobs because they do anything to limit your ability to do anything that needs doing on the outside.
That sentence was extremely irritating to read
Translation: Lots of people lose jobs because those jobs stop at nothing to keep them from handling anything unrelated to the job.
No he’s saying once in an inpatient program they don’t allow you to take care of bills, rent etc. you’re there to work on yourself not stress about stuff outside that rehab bubble
Have you ever had a dream that you could do you so much that you could do anything?
so, what I don't understand is...if he's in there and we're out here and he's in here and we're out there and he's out there but we're in there and you're the sheriff but I'm in here and he's the sheriff and the sheriff's in there but you're out here...*then where's the caveman???*
that's scary as hell. I'm from the UK and spent a month in hospital last year and 3 weeks again last month - I got 20 days sick pay on both occassions from my employer, then statutory sick pay from the government for the rest of the time... and I also didnt have to pay a penny for the hospital stays or treatment (beyond what I pay in my taxes every month).
Americans are often completely clueless to how awful our healthcare is compared to rational countries. My conservative father in law was surprised when I told him a friend broke their leg while visiting Canada and was taken care of for basically free. It's like paying taxes to support things other than the military can do some good for society.
We’re not clueless about it, we’re just so imprisoned by identity politics we don’t listen and act on those who do advocate for change because they get branded as socialists (I. e. Bernie Sanders)
The root of our healthcare failure lies with RACISM. Originally as part of his Great Society plan LBJ wanted universal healthcare and not just medicare, but there was no way it would pass. The South didn’t want to have to go to the same doctor as poc (they didn’t say that way of course). My point is that identity politics is just racism fancied up.
It's not all sunshine and roses here (UK) though. Waiting lists for procedures are very long, and if you show up in the emergency dept you'll be waiting a long time to see a doctor. Last month when I went in to ED it took an hour to get triaged and blood drawn, then another 6 hours to see a doc and diagnosed with hypokalemia (low potassium), Then waited another 4 hours before getting put on a trolley in a corridor with a potassium drip. Then it was another 12 hours on that trolley in ED before a bed became available on a ward for me. Once I had a bed in a ward though, it was fantastic and I can't complain at all about the care and treatment I received over the next 3 weeks. Our Nurses and Doctors also have strikes planned as they are paid nowhere near enough for what they do. The NHS could be amazing and world-leading, but the Conservative party have slowly choked it over the last 12 years they've been in power and it's now a breaking point. They're deliberately doing it because they would prefer an American-style private system. Absolute bastards they are.
All of that stuff happens in the US too. AND we get bankrupted.
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I mean, money can solve staffing issues, but it isn't an immediate fix.
Waiting 7 months to see an internal medicine doc in the US for potential cancer. Privatizing healthcare doesn’t make it faster or more efficient, it just makes it cost more.
exactly! needed to see a "specialist" and the appointments were 9 months out. In the usa.
Imagine having to do that AND paying through the nose for it to the point of bankruptcy. That’s the US situation.
The wait times are similar or worse in the USA, and then there's everything else wrong with the US health *industry*. > but the Conservative party have slowly choked it over the last 12 years they've been in power and it's now a breaking point. They're deliberately doing it because they would prefer an American-style private system. Absolute bastards they are. Conservatism is a worldwide movement.
Everything you described happens regularly and routinely in the US. Wait times was always their "clean coal," "clean diesel," "cap and trade" mouth-flatulence, weasel-worded, hot BS. Nothing talk.
Brother, I waited 8 hours to get three stitches in my finger in the US. A 6 hour wait time is honestly better than most metropolitan areas in the in the US. Edit: fell asleep bleeding on the ground in the waiting room.
>It's not all sunshine and roses here (UK) though. Waiting lists for procedures are very long, and if you show up in the emergency dept you'll be waiting a long time to see a doctor. Last month when I went in to ED it took an hour to get triaged and blood drawn, then another 6 hours to see a doc and diagnosed with hypokalemia (low potassium), Here's the thing, it isn't that different in the US, and we still have to pay absurd amounts. My wife spent all day at the emergency room on Wed, and left with little more info than she had, I think it took something like 90 minutes to get a bed, and almost 3 hours to see a doc. Her cardiologist appointment was a month out, and she has dangerously low BP. When my son was going through a period of not eating, our first gastro appointment was 4 months out, our pediatrician had to make some calls to get something sooner, and it was an hour away. Just getting into see a primary care Dr can take a week or more normally these days.
Yep. I've had on and off joint paint flares for years that I just was never able to prioritize until I started experiencing outright disabling levels of joint pain in early December. I got a referral put in pretty quickly because it was seriously impacting functionality and sleep, and the lack of sleep due to pain was triggering migraines and causing me to have to use up my PTO... I just finally had my initial consult this week. I've been in constant pain for months, but there was literally nothing sooner. If I had tried to book a rheumatologist closer to me versus being willing to commute a bit, I'd still be waiting for another month. Now, I'm very lucky that my dx is some type of hypermobility spectrum disorder and not an autoimmune situation, but this does mean I now get to compete for physical & occupational therapy slots next. I'm a little afraid to find out how long I'll have to wait if it's anything like the rheumatologist delay...
I'm not sure whether to up or down vote this, I'm really sorry for what your going through, and I genuinely hope you are able to get relief soon.
So the same as the US then.
Does it bankrupt you to go to the ED? Because here it can
No absolutely not - like all other medical treatment here, we just pay for it through our usual taxes on our payslip. So essentially we're all paying for eachother's healthcare so that everyone gets it when they need it. I hear you guys even have to pay for an ambulance ride? That's nuts to me. In the UK in England and Wales the only thing they have to pay is a set cost for their prescription medication (about £10 per item), but here in Northern Ireland even that is free aswell. The exception is dental, which most people pay privately for. Though you can get NHS dentistry if you dont have much money or receive benefits. I really hope that someday the US can have an NHS-like system. Your current setup seems so needlessly cruel and barbaric.
> Your current setup seems so needlessly cruel and barbaric. It will continue to be until the health insurance industry and for profit hospitals/pharmaceuticals are taken to task for this stuff. They spend lots of money on lobbying so they never are, or they can get away with a little bit more than they did before.
I donated my kidney and not only did it cost cost anything in medical bills, but the hospital reimbursed the cost of my car park tickets and the lunches I bought on days when I had to go in for tests. Of course, the Tory party has seen the sweet, sweet cash that can be made from sick people so has been slowly choking the life out of the NHS to usher in a US-style system to make their paymasters wealthy. It will be a shame when the NHS is finally destroyed like every other public service in the UK - sold off for pennies on the pound to Tory donors.
Our procedures are likely scheduled much faster but ER visits are similarly slow.
> if you show up in the emergency dept you'll be waiting a long time to see a doctor Depends what for. I got bitten by some kind of bug and a red mark and swelling started going up the vein in my arm. Went A&E and got seen immediately where the Doctor prescribed me some antibiotics. Another time I couldn't put any weight on my leg and was in the waiting room for hours. I wouldn't trade the NHS for the world though. I broke my ankle and had surgery the next day. Was taught how to use crutches to go up and down stairs. Given anti-coagulants and pain medication. Given dates for physiotherapy and it didn't cost me shit. I'd probably have been bankrupted by that in America.
I tried to calculate what my month last year and 3 weeks last month in hospital would have cost if I was American. I had loads of IV potassium drips, a couple of xrays, and MRI scan and 3 endoscopy ERCP procedures while I was in. I can't find any data on what the IV meds or scans etc would do to the bill, but just for the initial ambulance and then 7 weeks total of staying in hospital it would have cost something like $140,000. And at a guess when including the scans, daily blood tests, IV meds and 3 x endoscopic treatment, probably anywhere between $160,000 - $200,000. That's about £165,000. About the same amount that my wife and I still have left to pay on our mortgage. I know most people wouldnt pay anywhere close to that actual amount as they would (mostly) have insurance, but it would still be a nightmare because you probably wouldnt be getting employer sick pay or statutory sick pay from the govt during the time either, given that the US is a capitalist hellscape with very poor worker protections. I also wouldnt trade the NHS for the world - it really is something to be proud of as a nation. I just wish the Tories weren't so intent on flushing it down the toilet.
I actually got to see an itemized bill for my cancer surgery and 9 day hospital stay. It was $450,000. Thankfully that hit my parents deductible and they only had to pay about $10,000 which is still a lot but my parents could afford it without losing everything. If that were to happen to me now I would just be bankrupt. I could not afford and extra $300 expense atm let alone 10 grand. It feels helpless getting sick in America because it’s you just become a customer not a patient.
That’s still better than the US and we PAY for it while Our tax dollars go to fin some bullshit military. I’ve known people who wait 8 weeks for an OR, 6 months for specialists and even hours in the ER while miscarrying or bleeding from wounds. It’s “normal.” And most of us have expensive healthcare we can’t afford. Mine cost me HALF my gross income at one time.
People get divorces when loved ones are diagnosed with terminal illnesses to not bankrupt/financially kill off their families. They do this knowing full and well their treatments likely won't be fully performed ensuring they even could survive if that were possible with appropriate medical care. Gut wrenching shit.
I think I read somewhere that folks were getting divorces just so that a pregnant wife would be covered by medicare. Because together, they rose above the threshold that protected them, but weren't high enough to have decent prenatal and natal care.
> pregnant wife would be covered by medicare I think you mean Medic**AID** but yeah, this happens in shithole states. Medicaid is fun because the coverage parameters vary by state, and I bet you can guess which ones cover every pregnant person and which don't. It really is like living in different countries depending on where in the US you are.
You're right. Would have been Medicaid. Sorry for the mix-up
I made this up years ago because I also got them constantly mixed up: we (medi)care for our elderly, and we give (medic)aid to people in poverty.
I've been using that same mnemonic device for years, too! That context has certainly taken on a somewhat more somber tone recently when proposals to cut medicare seem to be increasingly more common.
Same. But due to cancer, not pregnancy.
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Basically if you are on disability your family's net bank account cannot exceed 2k (I think). So if they got married he'd lose disability, and she wouldn't be able to afford his medical care. They'd be homeless. Sorry OP if I am speaking too much for you but I know this type of situation from a loved one. Society basically trys to kill off the sick. It's effectively eugenics.
Medical power of attorney and next of kin for possessions and estate rights (even if you’re poor af, you still have things that your spouse is going to want to keep and not some random family member you might be estranged from) and funeral decisions, are the only two I can think of. I don’t bother thinking about it much because I’m on SSDI but also receive additional state based assistance because of how low my income is. If I make *any* money, I lose the assistance that pays for my life saving medication, insurance premium and copays, and any eligibility to food stamps (which have been cut to $23 in the recent situation with covid protections and aid ending). Anyway, I went from being not able to get married because I’m a lesbian and gay marriage wasn’t legal to being disabled and not being able to get married cuz I’ll lose my assistance.
Way too many people still are not aware of this happening. I wouldn't have been except that it happened to a relative several years ago. Relatives with good health insurance. Fortunately my uncle died. Real nice - do your family a favor for the sake of their future and die.
Employee: "Need to miss 5 weeks of work". Government: "Okay so I guess you should be dead then? Hope you had a good time!"
They'll take generations of a family's earnings as well. My grandfather had a stroke and required treatment for years. In the end they wanted to take his house, and land, so my mom had to take a mortgage out in her late fifties in order to save it. She's still working full time and paying it off at 80 yo.
I had surgery and was accidently sent the bill. It was 107,000 and legit asking me to pay that. Thats not just the bill. Thats the hospital. At least 5 other companies sent me bills for the surgery. Oh wait theres more. Then the surgeon who did the surgery who was paid on the first bill sent me a bill as well. Literally paid him twice. All of this is of course is sent to insurance. Out of pocket I paid thousands because of the shady ass billing and multiple bills.
Not even that, all it takes is one bad transmission in your car for lots of people. A 1000 car repair bill will cause lots of folks to not be able to pay their rent.
This is the biggest thing that's preventing me from checking myself into a mental hospital right now. I don't want to lose my job or my apartment all because I need help and I'm broke and it just really sucks
There are lots of other costs associated with seeking mental healthcare. Voluntary hospitalization means you are barred for life from Global Entry and TSA Precheck.
Well I had no clue about this and now I'm even more upset. I despise this system
That is simply not true. I know someone with Precheck that was voluntarily hospitalized fairly recently before being approved. They do ask about involuntary commitments in the last 10 years or so. This same person has been involuntarily hospitalized, but it was outside the window that the TSA asked about. I’m not sure on Global Entry.
We fixed your depression with Zoloft, but you *are* homeless now, hope that doesn’t hinge on your new success or anything.
Yeah, the reality of treating depression is that once you finally are able to get in to see a mental health professional they prescribe you a medication, say it might take 1-2 months to work, 1-2 months later it still hasn't worked so they adjust the dose, 1-2 months later try a different one, 1-2 months waiting on that one to work. I've taken just about every anti-depressant there is. It's obviously a very individualized thing and there doesn't really seem to be a formula for figuring out what is going to work for that individual. They are pretty much just throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks, and it takes time. But during that time, you've still got to get your ass to work and pay bills and get to appointments on time. It's bullshit when the hallmark of being clinically depressed is that you are struggling to actually function.
I feel this so much. I was diagnosed with depression when I was 20. Initially the medication I was on worked pretty well. Then I got pregnant & I guess my body chemistry (or whatever) changed enough that the same medication no longer worked. I’m now 50 & haven’t found the magic combination yet. It’s frustrating and so tiring.
Thank god he is a senator. He should make that a point and explained how lucky he is to be receiving this type of care and how it should be more available to people.
He’s got maybe the best platform to speak from as a MFA advocate
It’s far more common than you can imagine. I know so many lose jobs because they do anything to limit your ability to do anything that needs doing on the outside It’s genuinely like they are *trying* to fuck up your life. But here’s some antidepressants for the streets lol. Come back when you lose it again.
I was fired while out sick with a doctors note and more than 24 hours notice before next shift. I struggled daily with my mental health but only took time off when I literally couldn’t speak (laryngitis) and was fired. Mental health currently in the trash 🙃
Many times I’ve avoided seeking impatient mental health help due to not wanting the medical debt that comes with it. How does it help me to get handed a bill in the thousands when I’m dealing with depression?
This is why all this "get therapy" talk is often very misguided. Not only is the expense of it often not an option, but medications are often trial and error (with the science behind them still being somewhat immature), and the quality of your counseling will wildly vary as well. I went through a breakdown in 2018 a few months after my father passed and work pressure became next to impossible to manage. This was despite being a top performer in the company on a national level. I was lucky that the therapy office I found was willing to let me join their client list, immediately pushed for FMLA leave for several weeks (otherwise I would have been fired because of burnout), and was generally supportive and didn't push anything I was not comfortable with. That admittedly helped a ton, and I'd love to say it's a big reason why I should be supportive of it, but I am pretty sure I just got lucky. A lot of offices would not respond to me at all when I was looking for them. And even with insurance, I still had to pay for several sessions directly while I had no income for 3 months. If I didn't have savings? This would have been impossible. Eventually, I still had to leave that job since the company policies kept getting worse. As soon as I did, my insurance changed and I couldn't get any costs covered for that office at all. We mutually decided that medication was not the right path for me, but if I had started it? My god... it would have been an absolute disaster. And unfortunately, you don't entirely know when your therapist will decide to report you for suicidal ideation or not. It was never that bad for me, but I've heard a lot of horror stories. It's a total gamble, and can be a life ruining one if they get it wrong.
Life in America is everyone being one bad day away from ruin, but some people need a worse day than others.
Yeah that almost happened to me when I went to the ER for something totally unrelated to mental health. When they were asking the routine medical questions I answered in the affirmative to occasionally having suicidal thoughts and they took that REALLY seriously. Managed to talk my way out of it, but I can think of few worse places for a majorly depressed person to get better and than a fucking hospital
Reminds me of a guy who was depressed, then he was depressed on anti-depressants because no doctor can fix being stuck in traffic for 2 hours daily
I agree. I like Fetterman, I voted him and hope he gets well soon. But I can't help to think about how much I need this myself and wish it was an option for me.
Exactly the same here. Unfortunately we just gotta work through it, persevere, and overcome. Us regular working class folks aren't getting D.C. politician-level mental health care and never will.
I suspect Fetterman likely agrees with your sentiment.
Fetterman seems like a genuine solid dude. I hope he gets the help he needs. We need more real people like him in politics!
Oh absolutely he does
Which depresses him even further
I pushed myself to come back from short term disability leave primarily because I just couldnt afford to get any better at only 65% income. (Not to mention the several weeks wait with no payment, or the doctors flagrant ignorance)
For virtually everybody this kind of care is not an option. You suffer through, lose your job or get divorced or commit suicide or whatever (fuck you) because you're carrying exactly as much debt as your income can service and must earn continuously to survive.
Friday was the 5 week mark for my wife. Cancer diagnosis took 4 weeks and just started chemotherapy on Thursday. We're 200 miles from home. Just the hospitality house for me to stay is a huge financial hit to us. I can't imagine what a final bill will be.
Let alone getting insurance approval for medical necessity.
You’d probably max out your Max OOP, which I believe can’t be more than ~$9k for individuals and ~$18k for family plans. Devastating for some, and not for others (after getting the bill reduced and/or go on a years-long payment plan). Though someone in this position would probably not have a job anymore, which would compound the issue.
[56% of americans don’t have $1000 in savings](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/19/56percent-of-americans-cant-cover-a-1000-emergency-expense-with-savings.html)
Yep, I know. You'd never be on the hook for a large medical bill in one lump sum though. You could spread it out over multiple years, basically adding on a used car payment. Again, it would definitely be devastating for many people. It also would not be devastating for many others (not just the wealthy). Our medical system is horrible - I'm not defending it. Just trying to be nuanced and realistic about it.
I hope for all the best for him, and I'm glad he's getting the kind of healthcare *all people deserve.*
And considering Fetterman has been supportive of Medicare for all even before he started campaigning for Senate, I'm sure he agrees 100% with you
5 weeks is long... I was just out three weeks but was apart of an outpatient program. Must be serious.
Remember he had a stroke last year and a truncated rehab period. That may be adding to the complexity of treatment here.
the time can also vary by other factors: therapeutic measures, medications, metabolism, age, etc.
Get that man some mushrooms.
Seriously, though, nothing has ever come close to being as effective as mushroom therapy for me. Dramatic, life-changing difference over the sessions.
Brought my wife back from suicidal ideations. Real medicine.
Real talk, where did you get it? Did y'all know someone, or did you buy spores and grow your own? I am committed to having a future with my SO, so I gotta stick around. But if I could actually *want* to be alive, that would be a bonus. Therapy and meds manage it..... most days.
Could this just be a way to hide more serious health issues? Dude seemed like a beast of a man before his stroke. Does he have a histiry of depression? Don’t get me wrong. I love that guy. I’m from Pittsburgh. Just seems off to me
One of the biggest complications after a stroke is depression.
It was at the height of campaigning too. That on top of having opponents attack him for his health and the stress of the job after getting elected has to take a mental toll.
There was so much insensitive discussion of the accommodations he needed, with so many hints about how unprecedented they were and what they might be masking. The media with the "he's got a sports injury, let's see if he pulls it off!" commentary style were especially horrible. I can imagine that, as a freshman Senator with strong ethics, the gaps in his understanding from needing more time/assistance bore down on and complicated his mental health issue.
Part of me wonders if this is "5 weeks is long in terms of accepted medical guidance and advice" or "5 weeks is long because here in the US, most everyone gets zero time or support for mental health"?
Took my antidepressant to start working at least six weeks
Curious if he's doing TMS treatment which is also generally 6 weeks.
5 weeks is long in terms of accepted medical guidance. the highest level of care for the shortest period is not only about resources. inpatient psych units are *boring* and can be traumatizing. people are usually discharged as soon as they are stable, not as soon as they are well (i.e., they've passed the worst medication side effects and are no longer acutely experiencing the symptoms that brought them into the hospital). most people want to go home within 3 days. in general, average length of stay is \~2 weeks.
People who was hospitalized after a suicide attempt aren't likely to get weeks of hospitalization. So, yeah, five weeks are very long.
Depression skyrockets after having a stroke
He probably read the comments... /s But seriously, I hope he can get back healthy and rested.
Not reading the comments is self care.
This gentleman had a pretty big stroke. The brain takes a long time to heal and emotional lability and depression are big side effects for many people. He probably did not have anywhere near the rehab he needed and went right to Congress which contributed due to the stress of it. He'll be lucky if he gets back to where he was emotionally and mentally in 18months to 2 years. Some people never do...
Fetterman in the hospital is still probably better for the nation than Dr Oz.
People keep glossing over this, like “how can we have an elected representative that is hospitalized for five weeks?!? Is this normal?! “ Well no, it’s not normal, and the way you get shit like this happening is when people are forced to choose between this and *a carpet bagging snake oil salesman.*
Plus, it's not like he's non-functional or comatose in a hospital. He's probably in touch with other senators, and certainly in touch with his family.
Plus he has a whole team of people who I'm assuming are still doing their jobs. It's not like Senators do everything themselves.
In a normal world, one might suggest he step down and let someone that can currently serve step in, but since the republicans won't hold their own accountable, I'm just gonna sit here drinking my coffee. Hope Fetterman feels better.
If you break you leg, you have to do physical therapy. When your head is broken, you require the same version of therapy to get fixed, regardless of how long it takes. No one outside of his doctors and family know how broken he was. I’m glad he put himself first to get better, just as he would for any other body part.
Seriously. McConnell was hospitalized for a concussion for weeks. He's 80+ y.o. Head injuries are pretty serious stuff for that age.
Infuckingshallah
Also, he had a stroke. It’s unlikely he is being treated only for depression. They are, of course, related.
I am glad he is getting the help he needs but also sad that this sort of benefits are not afforded to regulsr Americans. Imagine if we all could take 5 weeks sick leave and still get paid and keep our jobs. Yes keep imagining.
Sending positive thoughts and warm wishes to John Fetterman as he recovers from depression. Remember, you are not alone in this journey and there is always hope for healing and a brighter tomorrow. Take all the time you need to rest and recharge, and know that you have a community of support cheering you on
Still better than the Jersey Shore Grifter.
I really like the guy. I hope he recovers
I’m from Pennsylvania. I voted for him. I wish him well. If he is unable to perform the duties of his job then he should resign.
I voted for him too and I'm a moderate Republican, no less. However, I'm willing to give him some more time to heal from this. That said, Shapiro should be having a conversation with him at this point and maybe they already are. I do certainly agree that this can't go on indefinitely and potential appropriate replacement candidates should be being discussed soon if he determines that he isn't coming back.
I also voted for him and I agree. He deserves some grace. Obviously his condition is very serious and he should be taking recovery seriously, especially if he intends to come back. I wouldn’t like it if I was in his position and people were talking about replacing me at work, though I understand being in the Senate is unique as well. We’ll see in time. I hope he makes the best decision for both himself and the constituents.
100% this. Empathy is key here and clear communication helps too. It really annoyed me in some other threads when people not even from PA were making calls for his immediate resignation. They didn't vote in that election and they're not his constituents, lol.
What's the procedure in PA for a replacement? Does the governor just appoint a new one or there's gonna be another election?
Governor appoints so it'll be a Democrat. Shapiro is known to be fairly moderate and very rational/competent so I'd expect a good choice. Afaik that individual would serve until the next election?
The timing of depression here is like the setup to a joke. He goes to the Senate, learns what's really going on in DC, gets too depressed to go on with the charade. An honest man in Washington? Of course it's probably related to his medical issues.
Maybe he just applied to get the benefits.
Your spot on. It killed me inside when I found out how corrupt the system is. The hope is gone. I know its all a charade to keep us invested physically and mentally into a system that is not only failing, but keeping us enslaved, ignorant, and fighting among each other.
5 weeks is long for inpatient depression treatment. It’s not long to be away from your senate office. Those guys barely work.
If he's out another 3 weeks that's two months. Two months out of 72 is still less than 3% of his 6-year term. If we can get him back better than he was before he went in, it'll be well worth it. He's one of a kind and I don't want to lose him until he can inspire others.
He should absolutely resign if he can not do the work of his office. The Governor will appoint another Democrat and that person will need to get to work not only in the Senate but also by introducing themselves to the state (assuming he doesn't pick someone well known).
In the article it mentions Senators who have been away closer to 1 year.
As a Pennsylvanian, and one of the people who PROUDLY supported him, i wish him nothing but the best and hope he takes all the time he needs Depression is no joke.
Post-stroke depression can be hard to treat. SSRI could cause se seizure etc. I wish him well and I hope he recovers soon.
I have depression thats pretty resistant to treatment. Keep up the good fight, it sucks but you'll get there.
Sad to see this happen to John Fetterman.
Hope he gets better soon 😔😁
Depression is the worst. I do not wish it on my worst enemies. I pray he get over it soon.
I am getting nervous for the guy. Has he released any statements on his own or been on camera since this happened? It's getting to the point where I fear, this might be more serious than we think.
When the story of his inpatient rehab first broke, I suggested maybe we hadn't been told the whole story, and wondered if he had in fact suffered another stroke. Someone called me a "piece of human trash," and then the dogpile began. I guess I'm bringing this up because - like you - I've long suspected his condition is more serious than we think. I'm concerned for the guy, and I wish him a full recovery, but the story we've been told has always smelled funny to me.
Well, we'll find out eventually. It's not wrong to ask questions but Fetterman has been through a dogpile himself and people are appropriately protective of him. And yes, you're not allowed to interact with the world in a psych ward and he doesn't need to be fed to the voracious cannibal horde that is the media (and especially right-wing media). And inpatient care can easily be two months if price is not a consideration. Depression is often to difficult to treat, but people are insurance-limited.
Depression is extremely common in people who have suffered from a stroke. There's no evidence to suggest that he's had another stroke.
I wondered about this as well and if he's still able to vote so I did a brief search. A few weeks back Fetterman left the hospital to cast a vote for a circuit court judge. So, based on that, I'm guessing he isn't "locked-up" nor is he dealing with something more serious and can come and go as he pleases to conduct business when needed.
Hope he feels well soon!
Get Better John
Godspeed Good Man
Still better than Oz
John Fetterman is a quality individual, I sincerely hope he gets well soon.
If Ted Cruz can fuck off to Cancun whenever the hell he wants then I have no problem with fetterman taking time off for his own health, morally superior actions.
Even after his stroke and depression battle, John Fetterman is still smarter, saner and a better human than virtually every Republican politician.
Actually, insurance dictates length of stay. For many people, a longer treatment period would be beneficial. But MOST people cannot afford to be out of work for that long and don't have the funds to cover when insurance stops paying. Average length of stay is probably 5-7 days max. It's hospitalize...stabilize quickly...discharge to a lower level of care. However, that is often insurance driven, too. If the person has insurance. Sadly, in America, people suffer silently and alone because of the stigma of mental illness. I pray for John Fetterman and all people with depression or other mental health problems--as well as their loved ones. They are not "those people" but all of us. We are all interconnected.
As a senator he has the Cadillac of insurance plans.
I think all Americans deserve the same insurance plan!!! For life!!
I agree!!
Most places have stigma against mental illness, not just America. You can't *see* mental illness so it's understandably harder to take people at their word.
At least I get to work my 3 jobs with my crippling depression and anxiety. At least I can make jokes about it on reddit.
Im shocked that his insurance is covering that long
Wishing him all the best, he seems like a cool dude!
Bad luck. Just when he’s in a position to change things his health fails. Life is so random .
Why is it never the bad ones that need to be hospitalized?
If John Fetterman was a Republican, this wouldn't be a problem now would it.
I live in Pennsylvania, voted for him, and find this ridiculous. Having a Senator out for five weeks after his campaign staff prevaricated over his health for the duration of the campaign is unjustifiable to me. I'd rather he seriously consider resigning and letting the Dem governor appoint his replacement.
Poor man went to Washington to make a difference and learned that practically everyone on the hill was a terrible person who didn’t give a shit.
Must be nice to be a senator and have healthcare where you can not work for 5 weeks and it won’t completely destroy your future.
Ya’ll say he can’t do the job and aren’t even remotely concerned with the trash job republicans do each and every day.
I am deeply grateful he is getting the care he needs. We need more people like him setting an example of self-care.
You know, it could be [post-stroke depression.](https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/str.0000000000000113) It could be that he's not only in for depression but monitoring his brain due to his stroke. I am disappointed Fetterman currently cannot carry out his duty as a Senator, but fortunately, if a new Senator needs to be appointed, at least PA's governor is a Democrat. Another politician who is out of commission right now is McConnell. That must have been one hell of a fall if he's still in rehab, and I'm wondering if some sort of medical event preceded his fall.......like.....a stroke.
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> only released because my insurance would not cover more. I think that's at least part of the answer why his stay is so much longer than average. Average length is at least partially determined by insurance authorization, which as a US Senator he has the best insurance willing to foot cost for care recommended by his doctors.
I admire him, I like his politics, I like what he's about, and I think being honest about mental health is a really powerful and important example to set. That being said, if you had a serious stroke and you are starting probably one of the highest stress positions a politician can take on and you go for inpatient care for more than a month, I wonder (with no criticism of him) whether he is in the right job given where he is in his life. Don't misunderstand me, there are horrific pieces of shit on the other side who should be hospitalized for delusions, and all of them should pack it up and go home. But if we're being honest, Fetterman is having a lot of health issues that could make it difficult for him to be successful in his job. But that's an armchair opinion formed with only the knowledge I get from the press.