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Martin Bosworth In Memoriam
Martin Bosworth has died. He was 35-years-old and had hypothyroidism, among other health issues. However, he died of a pulmonary embolism caused by deep vein thrombosis. “Both DVT and PE may be asymptomatic and difficult to detect.” (Cause of death found on his memoriam page.)
I met Martin via Mary Shomon. She had written about him, “Martin Bosworth: One Man’s Thyroid Journey“ regarding his post “Who’s Gonna Take The Weight” which inspired a Dear Thyroid letter, “Who is Thysponsible” written by Misti.
This was quintessential Martin, inspiring others.
He was a fierce advocate for health care reform and blogged often about it on Boztopia.com, his website.
Martin and I frequently spoke about his health and insurance issues, among other things. During each conversation, Martin’s scathing wit and sarcasm were ever present, replete with snappy wisecracks; clever, neurotic, funny, engaging and unabashed expressions of his feelings. Honestly, I wish I was as in touch with my emotions as he was. Often, I felt like the proverbial guy in the relationship (though I don’t buy into those gender assignments, I needed to make the point). On a serious note, I envied his ability to feel his way through his life versus sitting on the emotional sidelines of it.
With health issues plaguing him, he wanted to take an aggressive approach to healing, and did. Without health insurance, getting proper medical treatment was, as we all know, fucking impossible! Pre-existing conditions don’t make us prime candidates for private insurance. Having walked the mile, I’m keenly aware of this (as we all are). When diagnosed with GD, my insurance company dropped me within 24 hours. I’ve never been able to get private insurance since. In fact, the only way you can get insurance with a pre-existing condition (when deemed uninsurable) is if you work for a company, have a significant other, or buy into it via marriage, or procure it through other means that I can’t discuss because if I do, I risk losing my own shitsurance.
When last we spoke, Martin told me that he wasn’t afraid to die. I remember asking him why; being terrified of death it seemed apropos. Martin stated that he was proud of what he had accomplished and continued. Of course, I kept hocking and interrupting him to stop with the deathversation, assuring him that he wasn’t going anywhere, not with so much left to accomplish. You will get well. You will find your way, you will, Martin… I said. I believed with every ounce of my being that he would be fine…
If we are to learn anything from Martin’s passing, a gentle reminder that life is short, is a given. Of equal importance, fight to reform health care. Never stop fighting for what you believe in. When the system is failing you, when we rest on our laurels and don’t fight back for our basic human rights, than we’re failing ourselves.
In Memoriam articles, etc: Mary Shomon, Thyroid Patient Advocate/Award Winning Author:, A Tribute to Writer, Advocate and Thyroid Patient Martin Bosworth, The Seminal, Managing Editor, Consumer Affairs, NPI Advocate and Martin’s Memoriam Facebook page created by his friends and family.
Martin, you have been a dear friend and we will miss you terribly.
Love,
Katie
Tags: health care advocate, health care reform, health care writer, Martin Bosworth in Memoriam
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21 Responses to “Martin Bosworth In Memoriam”
Leave a Reply to Katie Schwartz
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Thanks for writing this. I had conversations with him about insurance as well, and though we shared our frustrations, the thing about Martin is that he never took the easy out of self-pity or cynicism.
He was a mensch, and I always looked forward to seeing his messages pop up in my mailbox, in Twitter or wherever. His face is still all over Tweetdeck, because we had dozens of back-and-forths over issues in the last month or so.
I can’t bring myself to delete them. It would feel like slamming shut something that I so desperately wish would remain open. Dammit.
Dave- I so relate to what you’re saying. We should discuss those conversations, even to bond over Martinisms. I agree, he never, ever took the self pity route and he was such a mensch, as you said.
I wouldn’t delete those messages either, it’s too fucking hard.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Katie
I’m so sad to hear about Martin. I enjoyed both his blog and his Twitter feed. I was very inspired by him and he gave me the push I needed to work on myself. I will miss him, even though we had never met.
Misti – I know, it’s so sad… He was a wonderful inspiration.
xo
I’m so sorry for your loss and most of all that Martin passed away so young. RIP Martin.
I know, right, Lolly? Very sad indeed. He was one of our thyfellahs and such a good kid. Argh!
xo
I never had the pleasure of conversing with him but I have read the blogs and he sounded like a truly amazing thyfella. I feel your pain.
Oh, Katie, I’m sorry for the loss of your friend. I’m so sorry.
Hi Joe-Joe-Bean, thanks, babycakes! You’re the best.
Lollylicious; You haven’t seen him around DT? You would have LOVED him. I’ll have to update this post with some of Martin’s comments.
Oh Katie– we will miss Martin desperately. We’ve lost this brave, honest, funny, insightful man far too soon. Martin and I were looking forward to working together on a health book project that we were discussing. What a compelling writer, and honest voice. I’m here in DC, but as you know, I only got to know Martin this past summer after he’d written about his struggle with health, thyroid issues, and weight, and he was SO honest, and so able to share his feelings. He was perhaps the only man online who had so openly talked about his struggles, and we realized how much we all had in common with him. As it seems with Martin, he had already become a dear friend just since the summer. Martin was like that. All I can say is that I wish Martin was around so we could exchange a few more of his trademark “MWAH!” kisses on Twitter, and see what else he had in store for the world with his amazing mind and heart…
Dam—this makes me soooo sad..I’m fighting the tears …i had Martin’s blog on my favorites list and I can’t bring myself to delete it
Mary;
Beautiful, inspiring words of wisdom, as always. He loved and adored you to bits and pieces. You played such a vital role in helping him advocate for himself and go to the doctor. He was really looking forward to working with you. He had such respect and admiration for you. The book you two would have written would have been so flawless.
We’ll miss him something awful. Argh.
xo
Oh, Bee, I know what you mean. I can’t either, or tweeting him @martinboz. I just can’t do it. It’s a terrible loss for all of us. He meant so much to each of us.
xo
Katie, I am truly sorry for your loss, and find myself tearing up here at my screen. Just read “Who’s Gonna Take The Weight” and I feel as if I’VE lost a friend…someone who was going through what I’m going through that I didn’t get the chance to encourage. I never had the opportunity to meet, tweet, or comment to a Martin blog, and that’s my loss. What a great guy I’ll never know. I think that’s everyone’s loss.
To all of you, Martin’s friends, family, and loved ones, my deepest sympathy. – Vanessa
Hi Katie so very sorry you have lost such a good friend..I have been so moved by the life of Martin and what he stood for..and all the tributes pouring in for him and the terrible sadness you must all feel..I would say that we need to keep fighting for thyroid health..for his sake..and ours to keep his work alive.
Hugs
Caroline
Vanessa;
Beautiful comment. Wasn’t “Who’s gonna take the weight” an outstanding post? I love, love, love that you said that you felt YOU’VE LOST A FRIEND because Martin made all of us feel like we were friends, even a random guy on a corner. He was such a good kid.
I feel your pain, girl. The more you read him, the more you will love him and feel close to him.
xo
Bravo, Caroline! PERFECTLY SAID and totally agreed! You are right on the money there.
We must keep fighting.
xo
Thank you, Caroline. I am Martin’s sister. I am still crying looking through Martin’s and my IM conversations where he was dividing his emotions between frustration and fear – frustration with our ridiculous health care system and fear not even as much as of dying, but fear of being a financial burden to his family if he was diagnosed with a major illness. Of course we tried everything to assure him that we could help – that it would be a far greater burden to lose him altogether. Well, we’ve lost him. He had every medical test imaginable and aggressively sought treatment. The doppler test, the only test I know of that exists for deep vein thrombosis, is not routinely given. And guaranteed, if you are not considered at risk for DVT, you’d have difficulty getting this test whether you have coverage or not. I have no record at this point in time of any doctor or specialist even suggesting he should be checked for DVT.
I am not only disgusted with how our healthcare system treats the living, I am disgusted with the bureauocracy of the dead. If I hadn’t insisted on an autopsy, his death could have been listed as a heart attack.
The answer to “Who’s gonna take the weight?” is: all of us. For years, I signed petitions, wrote my representatives, RT’d Martin’s blog posts, and also told people of my own personal struggles with trying to get insurance as a freelancer. But I never fought for it. I am sorry. I am angry. I lost my brother. Now I fight.
Leah – I/we are so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine what you must be going through. Know that you aren’t alone. I/we are here for you. Please feel free to email katie@dearthyroid.com any time.
Our health care system is disgusting. Martin did so much to try and educate people about it and invoke change. He was so special. I loved your brother to bits and pieces.
Be well, my sweet. You’re in my thoughts.
Katie
To All of you!
I didn’t know Martin and only now read his post, and read about him. – I am very sorry that you all lost a brother, friend, a fighter, and a compassionate contributor.
A Mensch! Yeah!
HD in Oregon