LOS ANGELES -- Patrick Swayze said that he is recovering from the pneumonia that put him in the hospital last week.

"I am alive and plan on continuing to stay that way," Swayze told People magazine. He added that he's "almost in the clear."

Swayze checked into a hospital last Friday because of a cough, which he suspected was because of an infection.

Because of his pancreatic cancer, Swayze said that he wanted to jump on the cough "before it turned into a problem."

The actor said that as soon as he got to the hospital, he was put on antibiotics.

Swayze told Barbara Walters last week that he's been "through hell" for the last year.

While fighting the cancer, he's pushed ahead on his new A&E series "The Beast," which premieres Thursday night.