The Boston Herald just broke the story that Jon Lester is being tested for cancer.
Although Red Sox officials are being extremely tight-lipped about the matter, Lester has been undergoing an array of exams in Boston for internal medical issues, including cancer.
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However, during the team??s nine-game road trip that ended today with a 7-2 loss to the Oakland A??s, Lester was diagnosed with enlarged lymph nodes, according to sources. Such a symptom can be caused by an array of issues, from infections to cancer.
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Said Schilling on Tuesday: ?®There are a lot of personal things going on here that weigh on us a lot more than the losses and wins.?∆
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Epstein and Francona were vague and circumspect when asked about the pitcher??s absence, saying that Lester had been spending some time with his family. Lester resides in Puyallup, Wash.
Clearly, the fact that he’s with his family and not back in Boston with tests/rehabilitation is not a good sign.
Obviously, losing Lester for an extended time (chemotherapy, etc.) would be a huge blow, and certainly the possibility exists we would lose him for the rest of his career.
His health is first and foremost, and I hope that Jon Lester is okay. I would rather he be alive and never pitch again, so my thoughts are with him.
However, it can’t go without saying that August 2006 has clearly been one of the worsts months in Red Sox history.
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I keep waiting to wake up from this nightmare. Luckily, any form of cancer is absolutely worst-case, and it’s likely an infection. Regardless, my thoughts are with Jon and his family tonight. Man, this month sucks in every possible way.
Am I the only one who finds it extremely irresponsible of the media to throw around a word like “cancer” when they don’t have concrete information beyond the ever convenient unnamed “sources?” Seriously, Red Sox fans are freaked out enough as it is with Ortiz’s health scare…this is only going to make us all worry more. Do the reporters want mass pandemonium in the streets of Boston or something? Sheesh.
Obviously, I sincerely hope that Lester is OK; he’s just a kid and shouldn’t have to deal with something like that. But that blurb really pisses me off. This sort of thing should be revealed on a need-to-know basis with concrete facts to back it up, for the sake of Lester’s own privacy if nothing else.
Just when you think it can’t get any worse in Red Sox Nation…it does.
Mouse,
Lester has been sent home. Why is he not in Boston rehabbing?
Schillings words are not indicative of a minor thing such as an infection.
Methinks cancer is not so far fetched.
Evan, that’s not the point. The point is that the Herald shamelessly disregarded Lester’s right to privacy in the interest of grabbing headlines. Something this big is a private matter, especially for someone so young like he is; the media has no business publishing such a thing without having concrete evidence beyond an “unnamed source.” It’s utterly contemptable.
Jenny from Dan Shaughnessy Watch summed it up a lot better than I can:
http://danshaughnessy.blogspot.com/2006/08/
shame-on-boston-herald_115705304893229253.html
Whatever the outcome for Lester, there’s no excuse for the Herald doing something like this. NONE.
Lousy month. I’m not sad to see it go.
My son was diagnosed at 17 with exactly the same kind of cancer 2 years ago at stage 3. After a gruelling year of chemo he has been in remission for a year. We take each day as it comes. It was not easy and we both wish Jon Lester and his family well. Many wonderful things did come out of it though. Lance Armstrong said he would thank cancer and my son did too. He said it was one of the greatest moments of his life. I hope Jon can say that also.
Good luck Jon!