Steve Jobs Issues Update On His Health

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Steve Jobs Issues Update On His Health

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Monday January 5, 2009 @02:48AM from the can't-believe-this-is-news dept.

i4u writes "Rumors about Steve Jobs' health have been flying high again after Apple announced that he will not be holding the keynote at the Macworld 2009. Today Steve Jobs issued a letter with a rather personal update on why he was losing weight in 2008. The reason for losing weight in 2008 is a hormone imbalance that has been reducing proteins. The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward according to Jobs. Steve and his doctors predict that he will have normal weight again by Spring. So stop the rumors and enjoy Macworld 2009."

11 of 320 comments (clear)

News because by Kamokazi · 2009-01-05 02:52 · Score: 5, Insightful

from the can't-believe-this-is-news dept
When many people believe that the continued success of a large company depends on one individual, his health becomes news.

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1. Re:News because by je+ne+sais+quoi · 2009-01-05 03:06 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  When many people believe that the continued success of a large company depends on one individual, his health becomes news.
  And this is all the more reason for Mr. Jobs to stop giving the keynote. Apple needs to break this perception that Mr. Jobs is Apple. He can't go on working there forever, and if they want to survive once he retires, they need to get him to take a back seat for awhile so the ninny-headed stock holders stop believing the sky is falling every time Mr. Jobs gets a cold.
  
  Incidentally, it's not surprising that Mr. Jobs might have this happen, a lot of people as they get older have thyroid or other changes that cause them to gain or lose weight. E.g. Bush Sr. had that thyroid operation when he was president because it was becoming overactive IIRC.
  
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2. Re:News because by Roland+Piquepaille · 2009-01-05 04:43 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  He's a catalyst. He's not arguably good at anything that's directly useful to development, sales or marketing, but he fires employees and customers up. You could say he's the soul of his company.
  My boss is like that: he doesn't know much about the products we make and how they're made, nor is he particularly good at promoting or selling them, but he could convince you to put on suntan lotion in the middle of a blizzard storm.
What is weird is... by pato101 · 2009-01-05 02:53 · Score: 5, Funny

why is not Ballmer loosing weight despite of being unable to sit down anywhere?
1. Re:What is weird is... by DoofusOfDeath · 2009-01-05 02:58 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  why is not Ballmer loosing weight despite of being unable to sit down anywhere?
  It's not fat, it's muscle. Peons like us don't realize the weight of a good, executive chair.
Okay, so I have to ask the obvious question... by Fritz+Benwalla · 2009-01-05 03:12 · Score: 5, Funny

How do I *get* this hormone imbalance?

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Re:Hormonal Imbalance? by Junior+J.+Junior+III · 2009-01-05 03:42 · Score: 5, Funny

I hope not, I've heard that the iRack is unstable.

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Update on my weight by noidentity · 2009-01-05 03:49 · Score: 5, Funny

I just want to update everyone on my weight. I lost a few pounds when I got sick recently. Well, that or the scale varies by a few pounds (I just started using it, so I don't know how much it normally varies). I hope to have my weight back up in a few weeks. I hope this calms everyone's curiosity. I'll keep you updated on this as it progresses.
Re:Should I sell my Apple shares? by Hanners1979 · 2009-01-05 04:06 · Score: 5, Funny

It'll either be that or the iMortal.
hormone imbalance by jap · 2009-01-05 04:40 · Score: 5, Funny

is an anagram of 'a common rehab line'
Re:Any doctors reading this? by shellac · 2009-01-05 05:06 · Score: 5, Insightful

I am a physician and I have actually performed a few Whipple procedures in my training. I can say that upon reading this letter, I immediately smelled big-time BS.
There are some treatable medical causes of cachexia (profound weight loss) but they are not difficult to diagnosis. If he had pancreatic insufficiency following his pancreas resection, this should have been quickly noted because it is common and his newfound symptoms of diabetes are easily recognized.
Hyperthyroidism is another cause of weight loss, but any doctor worth his salt would have screened for this right away. Celiac disease is another possibility but again this is not a difficult diagnosis because of the GI symptoms (lots of diarrhea).
The most likely cause of weight loss in this setting is cancer, cancer, and cancer. It can sometimes be very difficult to find where exactly the cancer metastases have recurred, and this can delay the proper diagnosis.
The main thing that Jobs has going for him is that this weight loss was first publicly noted some time ago now, and he does not have other signs of cancer that we know of. Jobs does not seem to be the type to hide it if he knew he had cancer. At least, he didn't hide it the first time, right?
shellac.