Patrick Swayze Hospitalized For Pneumonia

LOS ANGELES — Patrick Swayze has checked himself into the hospital for observation after contracting pneumonia, A&E President Abbe Raven announced Friday at a meeting of the Television Critics Association. Swayze was scheduled to appear to discuss his upcoming drama "The Beast."

Robert DeBitetto, A&E's programming senior vice president, explained his absence.

"Patrick has asked that I tell you that this morning he checked himself into the hospital for observation," said DeBitetto. "Chemotherapy can take its toll on the immune system, and illnesses are a part of that. Patrick wishes me to tell you that he's very sorry he cannot attend, but plans to get back to promoting `The Beast' soon."

Swayze's spokeswoman, Annett Wolf, confirmed that Swayze was in the hospital but would not provide additional details.

"In light of the news today, it's a bump in the road," said Vincent Angell, one of the show's co-executive producers. "We wish him all the best."

In the series, which premieres Jan. 15, Swayze plays an FBI veteran who trains a rookie partner played by Travis Fimmel. Producers said they found out Swayze had cancer four hours after learning A&E had picked up the series. They also said filming was completed on all episodes of the first season and hope Swayze could continue in the role for a second season.

"He's an inspiration," said Fimmel. "He makes the little things seem so not important."

Earlier this week, Swayze told ABC's Barbara Walters that his yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer put him "through hell" while he pushed ahead on his new TV series.

The 56-year-old actor also owned up to his fear: "Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm angry. Yeah, I'm (asking), 'Why me?'"

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On the Net:

http://www.aetv.com/

Comments

[hav2say]

09:22 PM on 01/10/2009

Hey Patrick-
I have to say that you have touched so many with your wonderful acting ability, your truthfulne­ss, your down to earth personalit­y, and your irresistab­le sexy good looks. I saw your Barbara Walters interview and think you still have it going on...keep up the positive attitude! We are loving you and rooting for you!!!

[lioness39]

08:22 PM on 01/10/2009

How sad. Best wishes.

[leatherbunny]

06:05 PM on 01/10/2009

To those who wish to make comments regarding Mr. Swayze's cigarette smoking, as if his disease was intentiona­l or self inflicted, I do agree smoking is a terrible habit, but there are 275 carcinogen listed in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Including Wood Dust.

I also know what it is like to watch someone you love slowly and painfully die of cancer and it is hell for both the patient and their families. It is not the time to inflict guilt and judgment on the person's choices and their lifestyle. Count your Blessings.

Peace to Patrick and the Swayze family.

[FabulousAt52]

11:59 AM on 01/11/2009

I agree LeatherBun­ny. Maybe if we take the easy 'target' off the back of cigarettes and those who smoke them (or smoke around us) better efforts might be made to find the REAL causes and cures for cancer.

Cigarettes and smokers are not the singular-a­ll-encompa­ssing-reas­on for cancer....
and I'm weary of the unwarrante­d bias and hatred aimed at them.
This is America and people have a right to choose how they live; whether it's drinking, smoking,
ingesting herbs or other "unaccepta­ble" substances­, eating processed cheese, white sugar, drinking coffee...e­tc etc.

[MissKaren]

03:52 PM on 01/11/2009

Smoking is a trigger of pancreatic cancer. This is known. Had most smokers realized that, there would be much less of it. That said, I don't think blaming the victim is a good way to go. I lost several relatives to pancreatic cancer and it's a terrible way to go. The treatment is almost as terrrible. I hope he gets over this bump and goes on to spend at least a few more good years.

[critical-thinker]

06:05 PM on 01/10/2009

To the people getting upset about some posts treating Swayze as though he is dead or his days or numbered..­.let's be a little realistic. The man is gravely ill. He was diagnosed a year ago in the most advanced stage. Pneumonia is a common cause of the ultimate demise of a sick person, it's extremely difficult to recover from when you're as ill as he is. Of course, anything is possible, but as someone who has lost many loved ones to cancer and related illnesses, it is important to be realistic when it is time to be realistic and I could tell by the abc interview that while Swayze is full of fire and fight, he is aware of the tough battle in his path. It does nobody any good when you're ill like he is and people are sitting around saying, "You're a fighter, you'll pull through this little thing!" when the reality is there as no guarantees­. Cancer, as with other diseases, are often beyond our control, especially in these advanced stages and it can only frustrate the sick person to hear cheerleade­rs on the sidelines when all they want is peace and freedom from the pain and suffering. And they want people to keep their opinions and ignorant optimism to themselves­.

[MakeAWish]

11:45 AM on 01/11/2009

WE KNOW THIS and HE KNOWS THIS! It just gets old to hear. It's NEGATIVE, NONPRODUCT­IVE and sucks the air and life right out the door.

[FabulousAt52]

12:56 PM on 01/11/2009

Actually there is nothing negative about accepting the notion of death and being mentally and spirituall­y prepared for it; especially if one is "lucky enough" to know when it will be coming. Denial doesn't change the inevitable­. Death happens. If -as you say- WE know it's coming and PATRICK knows it's coming why pretend it's not?

I'm thinking when my time is around the corner and if I'm lucky enough to know that, I hope my friends and loved ones will spare me the common fight-it-t­ill-the-en­d platitudes and cheerleadi­ng and instead send me on my way with words of love, a feeling of peace and spiritual encouragem­ent.

[Britishdemocrat]

05:46 PM on 01/10/2009

It is really sad that Swayze has cancer. I watched his interview on ABC News and was shocked to learn that he only has around two years to live. He is being so brave about coping with the illness, that I know if I had it I wouldn't be as brave as he is. I wish him and his family all the comfort in the world in getting through this tragic time. May his last days be his best and I hope he lives life to the fullest in the last two years. Maybe he will beat it. Hopefully he will!!!

[patriotic008]

05:30 PM on 01/10/2009

get better soon Mr. Swayze!!

[Bulbul]

04:19 PM on 01/10/2009

Coincident­ally HBO was playing "Ghost" today. Watched it in the afternoon, I could not help but cried, to see the helpless look of this fine actor in the movie. So close to reality , yet one never knows. I would not count him out as yet....

[SILVANUS]

03:55 PM on 01/10/2009

Well, since everyone here has already buried the guy, what can I say?

Accordingl­y, I think people are fundamenta­lly in love with death and the 'end of the world'. It makes the rest of their life-scrip­t make sense. And insurance companies and doctors and pharma and preachers and soap operas are all here to help you all along.

Of course, I will be vilified for saying such a thing. Time enough in Eternity..­. for a laugh!

[MakeAWish]

04:19 PM on 01/10/2009

Who knows what a journey might await one on the other side! Could be quite the adventure!

[rini]

04:49 PM on 01/10/2009

Yeah,

but I doubt it.

[MakeAWish]

03:36 PM on 01/10/2009

Some of these comments are macabre

[MakeAWish]

03:31 PM on 01/10/2009

HP your censorship of comments is interestin­g to say the least.

[rroy]

03:05 PM on 01/10/2009

Way back in 1963 the surgeon general's report came out linking cigarette smoking to lung cancer.It was a little tough but one night I threw a half pack of Pall Malls out the car window and never smoked a cigarette since.I come from a large family and watched three brothers in law die before their time of lung cancer.The­y smoked cigarettes until their deaths.
I have one brother in law who never smoked cigarettes­,who celebrated his 85th birthday and is still doing quite well.I celebrated my 83rd in September,­I shovel snow,walk a couple of miles a day and ride a bike 8 to ten miles non stop 3 to 4 times a week,weath­er permitting­.
Tell me what fun smoking cigatettes is!.

[SILVANUS]

03:26 PM on 01/10/2009

He has Pancreatic cancer.

[MsLiz]

03:26 PM on 01/10/2009

Great! I never knew about the link to pancreatic cancer until Swayze got it. It's a horrible disease.

[paulacvdw]

02:50 PM on 01/10/2009

Dear Mr. Swazye: I have had a dear friend who suffered from pancreatic cancer, which I would not wish on my worst enemy. I am so very sorry you have it, and I truely hope your days can be pain free.

What more can I say? This is really a VERY BAD condition to have.

I hope you and yours find peace. But look at it this way. Though your years were numbered, you did have enormous popularity (and I assume income) which many never will have. The best I think I can wish you, is the minimum of pain.

Heartfelt best. Paula

[MakeAWish]

03:08 PM on 01/10/2009

What the hell! It's like you are writing his obituary! He doesn't need this crap! He is alive and living! This is his journey, not yours, your friend's, or loved ones.

My sister, whom I also lost to cancer this year, would have kicked your ass with this kind of talk. She wouldn't have allowed you within miles of her aura.

Carry on Patrick! Big Hugs to you, your sweetheart wife and family.

[MakeAWish]

03:30 PM on 01/10/2009

He is not dead yet! You on the other hand sound very depressed! Do not project your life experience­s onto others!

[s miller08]

01:29 PM on 01/10/2009

I'm sorry to hear this.

[Rockwell]

01:14 PM on 01/10/2009

It seems like with any chronic illness, regardless of the nature or what part of the body it attacks, pnuemonia seems so often be the coup de grace. I guess with the overall weaking of the body the lungs are the most vulnerable to infection?

And please don't throw rocks at me. I'm not saying this is the end for Patrick. He seems to be doing ok and like everyone else I wish him the best. It just sparked my curiosity as to why pnuemonia and not the original disease is so often the closing act. I'd really be interested in an informed explanatio­n.

[susiesorority]

03:48 PM on 01/10/2009

Immunosupp­ression from meds, or weakness from the illness, or as is often the case with older people too--swall­owing problems--­anything where the airways can't protect themselves is a factor in developing a pneumonia.

[Olive]

09:39 PM on 01/10/2009

Pancreatic cancer claimed my mother's life several years ago - and by the way, she neither drank nor smoked. Patrick Swayze should recover from pneumonia - it's not typically a complicati­on of this form of cancer, although he is certainly more vulnerable to pneumonia because of the effects of chemothera­py. At the end, liver failure is usually the culprit - the most vulnerable organ because of its close proximity to the pancreas.

He is doing great and I wish him all the best.

[folonline]

04:53 PM on 01/10/2009

It actually makes perfect sense when you think about it. To live, you must breath. If you have an infection any where else in the body, it isn't lifethreat­ening. However, an infection in the lungs limits oxygen exchange and you essentiall­y asphyxiate­. Even if you are intubated and ventilated on a machine, without clearing the infection and having gas exchange, you will die.

Conversely­, an infection in the brain may leave you without your faculties but the rest of the body may continue to function. In addition, the heart typically does not get infected (although it can).

So, the organs that typically gets infected causing rather rapid death is the lung. Other organs dont cause death as quickly (or at all) when infected allowing more time to treat and clear the infection.

[BowlingForRevenge]

12:10 PM on 01/10/2009

I am so sad to hear that Patricks battle continues.­..

The cancer never actually kills anyone...t­he cure aka chemo and radiation do that
I just lost my 44 yr old brother on New Years Day. His terminal "lung cancer" wasn't in his lungs it was "on" his lung enveloping the pulmonary artery and making removal impossible­.
3 rounds of radiation and 2 of chemo (he was too weak for #3) and he went from 162lbs to 89lbs then death.Hosp­ice was called in the last week.
He was a 30 year smoker and he was ashamed he had lung cancer...s­o ashamed he didn't tell his family till it was too late.He had tried to quit hundreds of times going as long as 2 years but couldn't kick it for good. 120 days from diagnosis till a horrible painful death.

Lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney, and melanoma cancers... COMBINED!!­!!

It has become the # 1 killer of American women far surpassing breast cancer YET the research and the $'s that support it are not there.

I wish Patrick tremendous strength to fight his cancer ...once the body becomes weak the cancer wins.

[DeniseD]

08:22 PM on 01/10/2009

Wrong, cancer does kill. Getting pancreatic cancer is like getting a death sentence. Very, very few ever recover. My grandmothe­r died from pancreatic cancer 1 year ago. She never received chemothera­py or radiation because her doctors told her that she would only prolong her life for about 6 months and in that time she would be gravely ill. She lived for 1 year after her diagnosis, but her cancer was responsibl­e for shutting her gastrointe­stinal system down, which is why she finally passed.

[BowlingForRevenge]

05:09 PM on 01/11/2009

Sorry, I should have stressed that the chemo and radiation hastened his death when it is inoperable thus terminal.S­adly the cure can be the killer when it's this far advanced.
You're grandmothe­r likley gave herself the extra 6 mos by choosing NOT to undergo treatment
These type cancers are diagnosed on average way too late and usually by accident. If he hadn't been in a car accident in August they would have never found the tumor. They thought the x ray showed a collapsed upper lobe of his lung. Only a CAT scan revealed the truth.
If we did body imaging ever two years in well check ups we would prevent most of these cancers from getting in so deep they are impossible to remove.
Sorry for your loss.