Boston’s 5-term Mayor-for-Life Thomas Menino is finally out of the hospital after a month-long stay. Menino has been mayor of Boston since 1893 1993 and may actually run for an unprecedented 6th term next year, but that’s doubtful.
Mayor Menino, who turns 70 in a few weeks, is the one that Howie Carr on the radio has made a lot of fun of, in the same way he had made fun of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. Howie has referred to the Mayor as “Mumbles Menino,” and actually there’s a good reason for that, in that Menino’s speaking abilities are not the greatest (as far as public officials go). Menino is also known for his wacky quotes, such as “That really fries my nose.”
Menino is one of those mayors who joined the anti-Chick-fil-A campaign. Remember that? That was an important part of being Mayor, I suppose. And a few years ago, he caused a big uproar by using taxpayer funds to help build an Islamic mosque in Boston, which involves religious worship. So Menino is also one of those mayors who doesn’t understand the First Amendment. Oh, well. Since when do politicians understand the First Amendment?
So Menino had been in the hospital for a viral infection and blood clot following a recent trip to Italy, but during his hospital stay had developed an infection “near a compressed backbone in his lower spine,” according to the Globe. It was also disclosed after he was transferred from hospital to a rehab center that he had also developed type 2 diabetes while at the hospital. However, a doctor there stated that Menino entered the hospital already with a high blood sugar level that seemed to have been further affected by the “stress of being sick.” Menino has had problems with obesity, which is a main factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.
Menino had also had a cancerous growth removed from his back in 1993, and a cancerous growth removed from his nose earlier this year. (“Oy vey” is right.)
Now, here’s the thing I don’t quite get about Boston’s Mayor-for-Life Thomas Menino. Back in 2004, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which is a condition of intestinal inflammation, one of the two inflammatory bowel diseases (the other being ulcerative colitis). I remember very clearly back then when he was interviewed, he said that he was to remain on a very strict diet, “very boring” to use his words in that interview. In other words, light, bland foods that are not particularly irritating to the intestines. This strict diet and anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed for sufferers of these inflammatory bowel diseases for life, mostly. However, there are very good nutritional medicines and supplements that these patients could have as an alternative, as many prescription drugs have harmful side effects.
So anyway, I want to know why, since he was diagnosed in 2004 with Crohn’s and given a strict diet and anti-inflammatory meds, why is he still obese? I did read in the current article that he has been urged to “change his diet and increase his exercise,” according to the Globe article. And that tells me that he maybe isn’t obese because it’s some sort of “genetic condition.” (i.e. maybe he hasn’t been careful with his diet. But I don’t know.)
And also, the Globe article states that Menino had been taking steroid medication for the Crohn’s disease. Does this mean he has been taking those drugs since 2004? So, there are other prescription drugs to take — if one must take prescription drugs — for Crohn’s, because taking steroid drugs over a long period of time is a very bad idea. I hope he hasn’t been taking the steroid drugs steadily since 2004, for crying out loud. If so, such a long-term use of those kinds of drugs could very well have contributed to his recent problems. Or perhaps it’s RomneyCare that’s doing it to him. (Sorry — I calls it like I sees it.)
So, I doubt that Menino will be running for yet another term as mayor of Boston next year. I would bet against that possibility.
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