Mainstream media and a Doctor - first, Associated Press:
Court says Justice Ginsburg up and working after surgery
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is up and working as she recuperates from cancer surgery.
A spokeswoman for the court, Kathy Arberg, also says that Ginsburg remained in New York at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on Sunday. No information has been released on when Ginsburg might return home.
And a date to watch:
The court next meets on Jan. 7. Despite her health problems, Ginsburg has never missed arguments.
And now this from Brian C Joondeph, MD who practices in Denver, CO. He is writing at American Thinker:
Justice Ginsburg’s Failing Health
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg continues to be in the news as questions mount over her health and ability to serve on the US Supreme Court. Most recently, she underwent, “Surgery to remove two malignant nodules from her left lung, the Supreme Court says.”
Yet a week ago, she was the picture of health and vigor, announcing, “My health is fine, ribs are almost repaired.” These two announcements, a week apart, don’t pass the smell test. Much like Hillary Clinton’s excellent health and fitness to serve as president despite her falls, double vision, and coughing spells
As a physician, allow me to play doctor here, with the required caveat that I am not Justice Ginsburg’s physician, have not met or diagnosed her, and am only relying on reports from our scrupulously honest and accurate American journalists.
A bit more:
This means her recent lung surgery was scheduled in advance. So much for her assertion that, “My health is fine.” I suppose it’s a Clintonesque parsing of what the meaning of “fine” or “health” is.
As both nodules, “were found to be malignant during an initial evaluation,” she, “underwent a pulmonary lobectomy.” This means removing one of her five lung lobes via thoracic surgery, certainly not a small undertaking, especially in a frail 85-year-old.
Looking at the various kinds of cancer:
There are two types of malignancy – primary and metastatic. Primary means that the cancer originated in the lung, or typical lung cancer. Metastatic means they traveled from some other primary cancer elsewhere in the body.
Justice Ginsburg has a history of other cancers, “The justice had colon cancer in 1999 and pancreatic cancer in 2009.” Odds favor that her lung nodules represent metastases from her other cancers rather than a third new cancer originating in her lungs.
It’s not impossible for her to have primary lung cancer on top of her other two cancers, but unlikely, as she does not have a history of smoking. As these removed nodules were examined histologically, I’m certain her doctors know the answer. At some point we will too.
More at the site - Dr. Joondeph concludes with this paragraph:
Based on her medical problems, as best as we can determine from news reports, her retirement may be sooner rather than later. That 53-47 Senate may be as important as ever for President Trump, reinforcing that in the 2018 midterms, the Senate was the primary target. Trump’s replacement nominee may need every vote. Fasten your seat belts for the upcoming fireworks.
Indeed!
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