I had a tumor removed from my tongue on May 11. About 40 minutes into the operation the surgeon came out of the operating room to tell my husband that they had found cancer and were going to “keep cutting until her margins are clear.” I left Mass General the next day with clear margins, a fair certainty there was no lymph node involvement, and a meeting set up with the tumor board.
I was cancer-free, but to minimize my chance of recurrence, it was decided that I would undergo 33 sessions of radiation. The day after we met with the tumor board, I opened up my Globe (still a subscriber) to read with a combination of shock, irony, and coincidence, that Sal DiMasi, the former speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, had been diagnosed with the exact cancer as mine, while in federal prison.
Comments
Thank you for your courage in sharing your ordeal and I hope that you make a full recovery. While I was not a huge fan of DiMasi I was also horrified on his behalf as another human being to learn how delayed his diagnosis and treatment was. His crime surely does not deserve that level of punishment. And if that's how poorly a former House Speaker was treated, one can only wonder what happens to "ordinary" prisoners. I wish you the best in enduring the rest of your treatment.
I don't like Sal DiMasi. That is not my point. Liz Kurkjian-Henry's story made me cry. When I think about being an American I think about human rights and the continuous (and flawed) path we take towards eqity and respect for individuals. This story shows a scary disregard for human rights, respect and equity. But maybe I am wrong, maybe Liz is wrong. Please can we have a follow up story on what happened to Mr. DiMasi? What was the treatment? Was it timly? I hope Mr DiMasi is being cared for. I hope he is comfortable. I hope Liz does not have a reoccurance. I hope I don't have one either . And I hope we can know the full story and, if it needs a spotlight I hope that the Globe will shine it.