Is Justice “NotoriousRBG” Nearing The End After Cancer Surgery?
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent surgery Friday to remove multiple cancerous growths.
It was discovered recently that she was in the early stages of lung cancer. The surgery performed was a pulmonary lobectomy which was performed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
According to NPR,
On Friday afternoon, shortly after her surgery, she cast a decisive vote, refusing to allow the Trump administration to implement its new rules prohibiting people from seeking asylum if they cross the border illegally. The 5-to-4 decision was a setback for the administration, preventing the president from carrying out the policy immediately.
By Friday night, Ginsburg was sitting up in a chair, and calling friends, who said she sounded strong, and pretty chipper.
According to a press release from the Supreme Court:
“According to the thoracic surgeon Valerie Rusch, both nodules removed during surgery were found to be malignant on initial pathology evaluation. Post-surgery, there was no evidence of any remaining disease. Scans performed before surgery indicated no evidence of disease elsewhere in the body. Currently, no further treatment is planned. Justice Ginsburg is resting comfortably and is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days.”
The cancer was discovered last month after a fall which led to several fractured ribs. While taking CT scans of her ribs, the doctors found an abnormality in one of the five lobes in her lung.
As Fox News reports,
Ginsburg, 85, has survived a series of health scares. She also broke two ribs in a fall in 2012, has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Despite the issues, Ginsburg has yet to miss a single day of oral arguments during her tenure.
Will she retire? Probably not, she recently hired clerks for the term that extends to 2020. She’s dead set on not allowing Trump to replace her with a conservative Justice.
Will she continue to experience more health problems? More than likely so. She can’t have too many years left.
Photo Credit: European University Institute