Mercy for Tom Petters?

So the word is that Tom Petters has a tumor:

Petters' defense attorneys pleaded for leniency and mercy, saying their client suffers from a tumor on his pituitary gland.

"The long-term prognosis for Mr. Petters' condition is bleak; he faces the risk of blindness," said defense attorney Paul Engh in court documents. "The tumor is not growing at the moment but cannot be ignored."

As it happens, I know a little about pituitary tumors, since I had one that was growing and had major surgery in 2007 to remove it. It is true that, if left untreated, the tumor could cause blindness. At the time I had my surgery, I had lost up to 30% of my vision because the tumor was impinging on my optic nerve. Once the tumor was removed, I regained the lost vision within a matter of weeks.

One thing you should know -- pituitary tumors are not rare at all. In fact, up to 20% of people have them, although most are asymptomatic. This link from the Mayo Clinic lays out some of the worst-case scenarios, most of which were present in my case, especially the severe headaches.

So, is the long-term prognosis for Petters bleak? Not especially. If the tumor grows, he should get surgery for it and might require permanent hormone replacement through medication. I take a bunch of little pills every day and have my endocrinologist on the speed dial. But I can tell you this much: I live a pretty normal life now. And if he is treated properly, Petters will live a normal life as well. In jail.