Senator John Fetterman’s staff released an update on his medical status on Monday. About two weeks ago, Fetterman (D-PA) checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to receive treatment for clinical depression. He remains hospitalized.

I’m not sure why his staff released an update on the senator, to be honest, because it was more of a non-update. Spokesman Joe Calvello did say that the senator’s staff is “moving full speed ahead” and last week opened a new office in Erie, Pennsylvania. There are plans for more offices to open in the coming weeks.

“We don’t have a lot to update folks with since there’s no real news to report except that John is doing well, working with the wonderful doctors, and remains on a path to recovery,” Fetterman spokesman Joe Calvello said in a statement. “He is visiting with staff and family daily, and his staff is keeping him updated on Senate business and news.”

“We understand the intense interest in John’s status and especially appreciate the flood of well-wishes,” Calvello said. “However, as we have said this will be a weeks-long process, and while we will be sure to keep folks updated as it progresses, this is all there is to give by way of an update.”

It’s meant to reassure his constituents that the work continues though the senator is not able to do his job right now.

I hope Fetterman remains in the hospital and gets all the treatment he needs. Mental illness is nothing to ignore and he is setting a good example by going public with his struggles. I do think he did a real disservice to voters in Pennsylvania by not talking about his mental illness when he ran for the Senate. Intentional or not, it was a non-disclosure of consequence, especially after Fetterman suffered a life-threatening stroke while campaigning last May. His campaign staff (his wife, Gisele) were not forthcoming with information after that health scare and kept him isolated from the public for weeks afterward. His failure to allow himself time for a full recovery from the stroke seems to have triggered his recent depression. It’s certainly understandable.

After the stroke, Fetterman won the Democrat primary in Pennsylvania’s Senate race. On the day of the primary election, he was in surgery having a defibrillator installed. That is when his campaign disclosed his diagnosis of cardiomyopathy years before and that he had not followed recommended medical advice for his condition. He is 53 years old. Earlier this month, he was hospitalized at George Washington University Hospital when he felt lightheaded during a Democrat retreat. His doctors said it was not another stroke. He returned to Congress and was evaluated by the attending physician of Congress, Brian P. Monahan. Monahan suggested Fetterman receive inpatient care for depression, as his depression had become severe in recent weeks. That’s according to Fetterman’s chief of staff, Adam Jentleson.

Understandably, a person wants to keep medical decisions and conditions as a personal privacy issue. But, public figures are different, whether or not that is fair. They are elected by voters who put their trust in them to perform a job on their behalf. In this case, Fetterman has a habit of only releasing information that can affect his campaigns if his condition becomes public in the press. That is no way to treat voters. Now he looks like a placeholder, someone who captured the seat for Democrats and will eventually be replaced by the Democrat governor appointing another Democrat to the Senate seat.

Meanwhile, Gisele Fetterman is causing a stir for her behavior on social media. She took the kids and fled to Canada.

Gisele Fetterman, the senator’s wife, said on Twitter last week that she and the couple’s children drove to Canada to avoid media attention once news of her husband’s treatment became public: “We talked about lots of hard things and how we will all have to face hard things. About the need to be gentle … with all and with ourselves.”

Did she have to go out of the country for privacy? It looks like she is more concerned about herself than her husband, which may or may not be true. Sheltering their three children from the press is noteworthy but then she posted photos of their activities on their trip to Canada.

I am not really sure how to navigate this journey but am figuring it out slowly. 1 week ago today when the news dropped, the kids were off from school and media trucks circled our home. I did the first thing I could think of … pack them in the car and drive.

— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) February 24, 2023

We did some scary things but we did them together. We ziplined over Niagara Falls and August got stuck 🫠. We talked about flexibility and the need to always have an open heart and an open mind. pic.twitter.com/IyuvBBXaOe

— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) February 24, 2023

We all deal with stress differently. She chose to leave the country with the kids. There isn’t much she can do for her husband right now, other than lend her support. She looks like just another public person who claims to want privacy and then posts everything on social media. Was she signaling to the press where she is now? Maybe South Park should do an episode on her faux calls for privacy, as they did for Harry and Meghan. Heh. Does Gisele have more political ambition than her husband? It often looks like she does.