Stroger Hospital (formerly known as Cook County Hospital) is not good enough for Cook County President Todd Stroger. Todd, son of former Cook County President John Stroger, had his prostate gland removed on Monday of this week. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer last November, before he was elected.According to a Stroger spokeslady, "Stroger had his prostate removed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and will remain in the hospital while he recovers."
As late as yesterday, Stroger's spokeshumans were still saying that Stroger was in the hospital for a routing procedure. That is technically true; prostate surgery is now so common that it is routine. But Stroger's people were deliberately hiding the underlying, potentially life-threatening seriousness of the reason behind the "routine" procedure. Stroger is expected to make a full recovery.
But how can we to trust that assessment when we've already been intentionally mislead?
According the the Chicago Tribune today, "spokeswoman Ibis Antongiorgi confirmed that Stroger's prostate cancer was diagnosed 'about 10 months ago' during a routine screening. The cancer was monitored and doctors decided surgery was required, she said."
The Daily Southtown today wrote that "County officials were surprised to learn that Stroger had been hospitalized and would not attend today's county board meeting. Even those in the highest ranks of Stroger's administration were kept in the dark about his condition, at the family's request."
Eric Zorn, opinion columnist for the Chicago Tribune, scolds Stroger for not disclosing his cancer last year. Today Zorn wrote, "Voters are entitled to know if a candidate has cancer or any other serious health condition. Period. Whether or not the illness is relevant to the candidate's qualifications for office is something voters are entitled to decide as they weigh their choice."
Yup. But then, as Zorn points out, would it have made a difference with voters? Probably not. Most of Stroger's supporters would have voted for him anyway. I mean, if the voters weren't already put off by Todd Stroger's annointment by the Machine after his father stayed in office for months while in a coma, and those same voters rejected two far more qualified candidates, would a little bout with prostate cancer have swayed anybody? Probably not.
Indeed, prostate cancer these days is so commonly cured that the voters should not consider it to be a reason to not vote for someone. But the voters have the right to be fully informed when they make such a decision.
After months of watching Todd Stroger commandeer private elevators in the county offices and hiring friends and relatives for high paying positions, we should probably not be surprised that the imperial Todd Stroger chose to get his medical treatment at Northwestern Hospital in the Gold Coast. He knows that Stroger Hospital is in bad shape, and its deteriorating conditions have not been helped by his policies and attitude toward the staff there.
Meanwhile, we at RPB wish Todd Stroger a full and speedy recovery. Political differences and the firm belief that Todd Stroger is a lying bowl of feces is not enough to wish him ill health. To help him continue his lifestyle in the same manner as before he lost his prostate gland, we strongly recommend a good lubricant to him.
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He is corrupt, clueless, unqualified, unexperienced and disinclined to reform the way the county is governed.
ReplyDeleteBut if I had known about his prostate cancer... I might have voted against him twice or something.
This story has killed me since it's birth and how the Stroger's propped up daddy when he was ill through that election to skate this brother into the presidency as we locals know to well.
ReplyDeleteI did a funny photoshop parody of that election fiasco and Weekend at Bernie's that everyone around here loves and included it in a post as well..
This all is such a total and typical Cook County shamorama as I call the local politics, and as you said in your post here, it's damn funny that the guy doesn't even go to the very hospital wearing the old man's name because as we all know the place isn't exactly the Mayo clinic.
However it's certainly better than anything that most people of the world will ever see. And especially when most of it's patients won't be paying the bills.
In this Stroger Jr case the basketball sure doesn't fall too far from the hoop if you get what I mean.
Good work here my friend and on the post info included with it, and Rogers Park should be paying you for all the neighborhood pride you pour into this place. Two thumbs up.