12:45 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Cuba|Health|Politics
9 Feb 2007
After numerous false alarms about Castro being on the verge of death, could it be that the 80 year-old Cuban leader is now getting back to his old self? CNN reports that the Venezuelan ambassador to Cuba is hinting at it:
Cuban President Fidel Castro’s health is improving because he is now eating, Venezuela’s ambassador to Cuba said Thursday.Castro, who has handed power over temporarily to his brother, has not appeared in public for more than six months since undergoing emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding.
The operation meant Castro, 80, initially could not eat, but there also were media reports that at the end of last year his health worsened again and he had to be drip-fed.
“Fidel is improving progressively. The problem is that originally he could not take in foods but now he is taking in foods and that has improved his health significantly,” Ambassador Ali Rodriguez told Venezuelan state television.
Even if this is the case, at 80 and with precarious health, it’s hard to believe that Fidel will last for much longer. Raúl Castro, Fidel’s brother and interim president of Cuba, corroborates Venezuela’s story with a light-hearted tone, reports Venezuelan daily El Universal:
…Raúl Castro, affirms that the leader of the revolution, , Fidel Castro, “is getting better every day”, that he is exercising a lot and “weighs in on every issue”.“Fidel has a telephone next to him, and he’s on top of all the most important issues.”
Via / CNN and El Universal
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14 Responses to Castro on the road to recovery?
Gail Michael
May 1st, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I think Fidel Castro has Crohns illness, making his condition variable day to day. Also a surgeon, Dr. Stephen Hanauer from Univ of Chicago (who operated on him)is a specialist in Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis.
If this is the case, please write me and I will give you my theory on the cause of Crohns and UC. and Fidel can act on it if he wishes. Physicians do not know my theory, but it is absolute.
Gail Michael
May 1st, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Write to me E-mail Advocate147@aol.com
if he happens to have Crohns illness or Ulcerative Colitis. These illnesses are usually hush hush for some reason or other.
Fidel said his illness was from stress. In crohns illness the stress comes after the crohns. Stress is a large part of it.
He can get better, crohns is a manmade illness.
Gail Michael
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:49 pm
If Mr. Castro has crohns illness, he can get better with the right knowledge. and I need heavy distribution of this particular knowledge. Is he able to come to America for a short visit. It would do him good to get away from Cuba for a little while. I would like to see him and talk to him. Does he talk English.
Gail Michael
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Dear Mr. or President Castro.
I do hope you are feeling better. I have an obsession with crohns disease and hope to tell the world. However I need someone whose name captures the media, because what I say will damn the pharmaceutical cos. But lives are at stake, (someone I love, and I suffer this illness also). It needs to be told to the world, and unless I have help, the pharms will continue the crohns plague and issue a license to kill to physicians. I am not saying my theory here, because I need to know it will bear fruit as most just say nothing once they are better. This illness is weird. Doctor Doctor, First Do No Harm is lost in PREVEMTING crohns either by ignorance or afraid of the pharms. As I said, they are issued a LICENSE TO KILL. In this respect, they are legal drug pushers. Wish you were here to talk to, and I do wish you good health.
Sincerely Would call you, but I am hard of hearing and cannot use the phone properly.
Gail Michael
May 3rd, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Decided to be a little more open. Am not certain Mr Castro has crohns disease, but it seems very likely. If that is what he is suffering from, knowledge of the cause of the illness helps and in some cases can negate the illness. It is on website
DoctorBrains.org and my theory is written under comments by Kureforcrohns, under the title Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis. This is a website by opthomologists answering questions on crohns and UC subjects.
Anyone interested can refer to the website.
Gail Michael
May 4th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
On May 3, I mailed all the information I believe is related to his illness by airmail and registered mail. Not knowing his exact address it is simply addressed to President Fidel Castro, Havana Cuba. I do hope he receives it and can relate to to the almost unvelievable cause of this illness. (Express mail is prohibited to Cuba. If he receives the mail and relates to it, he can be on the road to recovery, tho a difficult one. This weird illness needs to be exposed as it is an unexplainable plague certain to engulf thousands or millions in its mysterious workings. I believe it surpasses Aids in its mysterious numbers and certainly in its understanding by the pharms and physicians.
Gail Michael
May 20th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Perhaps Mr. Castro’s physician could prescribe Valium or Ativan for this strange illness to offset some of the ravages of the stress caused by this illness. And most important is to remove ALL persons on any stimulans from continuing on these dagerous daggers of poisons. Anti-depressants are a licene to kill and do harm to the innocent.
They are a sentence for death if not curbed.
Only the pharmaceutical cos. benefit from the profuse use of anti-depressants. Not Xanax, nor Buspar, NOR ANY ANTI-DEPRESSANT IS SAFE. Only the true tranquillizers are safe. It is not only Mr. Castro. millions are suffering the same destruction because no one will recognize the death sentence the stimulants carry. We need a leader to show the world that ANTI-DEPRESSANTS MUST GO.
If I had the money it would be shouted all over the papers. This is a crisis for the world. In time most will be affected and never know what the problem is.
I suffer the same fate, but I try to stay away from those on stimulant drugs, which is not easy as most WILL NEVER GIVE UP THEIR DRUG. They must be banned or controlled. And no one will take the initiative to confront the physicians and pharmaceutical companies. The problem will continue to compound. A seemingly impossible problem unless the nations unite.
Gail Michael
May 20th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
There is only one cause and CURE TO CROHNS AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS. Eliminate the mind/body connection to anyone you know because because distance is no factor in the retention of crohns. The two (or more parties can be miles and miles apart, still the damage continues. Naturally diet must be modified to accomodate the crohns, but will not cure the illness. The cause is manmade and requires no money at all to help yourself.
Gail Michael
May 25th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Brian Lattell. All politics aside, of which I know nothing, Fidel Castro hopefully can have more years of health. If I were able to speak to him, his condition has a good chance of improving when the cause of crohns and UC is known. And it is known, if only by me and a few others. He, like all crohns and UC victims, should have the opportunity of getting better. How can I help him. I have no influence, worldly knowledge, nor money to spend on advertising. Please read website Doctor.Brains.org Crohns and UC comments by Kureforcrohns. Any help from any source would be greatly appreciated. We all have a stake in health as a plague is forming. Let’s beat it as best as we can in spite of the pharmaceutical companies, who will eventually become victims like others.
Thank You
Gail Micahel Gail Michael
May 25th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
For lack of where to write and limnited computer access to sites, I will voice my opinion here of how I believe Daniel Smith, Nicole’s son died from the articles I have read. Fatigue is a very real factor of Crohns disease. Daniel voiced extreme fatigue before going to Havana to visit his mother and new baby sister. He really could not go, but went anyway. In four days time, he died, apparently clueless. I later read that Nicole was taking large amounts of Xanax, which is a stimulant and has the ability to transfer harm by a mind connection. Nicole was very close to her son, and possibly had her mind fairly centered on him and since distance does not negate the mind connection, he was feeling the effects of crohns disease before coming to the Bahamas, and for the four days he was there. The overwhelming stress he probably felt from this mind/body connection was too much for him to survive. No definte cause has been offered although, drugs taken by the deceased always look like a good reason for one;s demise, I believe it was the Xanax link that was the fatal blow.
On Nicole’s death, did not read anything to cite a clear reason for her death. Could have been the fever, accidental overdose of drugs with which one sometimes tries to stabilize their mind and body if crohns is present. Did not read of anyone on drugs who created a mind/body connection with her or on her.
Strange, strange, weird, weird is crohns and UC.
Gail Michael
May 25th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
There is no better news than that from Mr. Castro’s physician predicting hopefully of a bright future still, for Mr. Castro.
Perhaps he will become more visible if he can shed the disastrous Crohns Disease. (if that is what his illness is). It is a long and difficult road to wellness but proper knowledge of the cause and difficult implementation and careful attention does reap rewards. Since we are not in control and depend on others cooperation in elininating all stimulants, the task is most difficult and edgy at best.
Good luck and may the world enjoy the benefits of banning stimulants to some measure. The pharmaceutical companies have come up with a nightmare in the last forty years or so by pushing anti-depressants to the max without knowing the deadly results that can be a side effect of one person using the stimulant and transferring it by mind/body connection, literally to an innocent person who may not be on drugs. And distance plays no part, the two (or more) persons need not be in the same room for damage to continue, they can be miles and miles apart, only the mind and stimulant is at work with its deadly arrow of poison mutilating another pesson. Life is surely stranger than fiction.
As an aside, President Dwight Eisenhower had Ileitis (the name for crohns then) even while in Europe.
Cautiously, let us hope for the best.
Gail Michael
June 7th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
If Mr. Castro indeed has crohns illness, it is a slow process ro getting better and a lot of luck, as the illness is not of our own doing. It is another person unaware of the process who is on a stimulant that would cause an innocent person to be ill by a mind/body connection and this in spite of distance. The two (or more) persons do not have to be in the same room for the crohnie to be ill, they can be miles and miles apart, the illness continues by mind. It is surely a weird illness, like no other illness we know. We are not our keeper, it depends on our friends, family, asociates, etc.
From my experience, I have noticed that the person taking care and is most concerned about the crohnie is the person responsible for taking a stimulant drug, unaware of the damage it causes. So to be frank, I suggest that Raul may unknowingly cause the problem. Many products have put stimulants in them and no one realizes the danger. Our society of thinking everyone needs an anti-depressant is forming societies that are dangerous to a good many people. Taking a tranquillizer like Valium or Ativan can reduce the stress from crohns and will hurt no one. I have a vested interest in this subject because anti-depressants are in many institutions placing many persons in danger of severe illness and death. Very difficult to convince most, but if a person can relate (and it is difficult) they have a little advantage. I can wish for nothing more than no one to have this stupid and weird and destructive illness. My G-d help us all.
Gail Michael
June 8th, 2007 at 7:02 am
“Emergency Intestinal Surgery” Not being a TV watcher, apparently I missed that. They are now saying he had surgery for Diverticular Disease. That of course, has a much more popular acceptaance than Crohns illness. My opinion. If he was operated on for Diverticulitis, it would be possible to use a local Surgeon as that is fairly common. But the fact is that he had Dr. Stephen Hanauer, one of the best, if not the best surgeon pecializing in crohns and UC at the University of Chicago. It is also possible to have both crohns and Diverticula. In uncertain situations, it is best to rule out crohns, because ongoing symptoms of crohns can complicate cause other conditions.
At any rate, surgeries do weaken a person, but the cessation of crohns, if present, will help one gain strength. I am hoping Mr. Castro has no complications. Diverticula as Disease is common, as I mentioned, and that should not retard his health. I am not a doctor, but have observed crohns and UC for years, but because of its strangeness and involves the use of stimulants, it is not readily accepted. After all, it would not be popular to denounce anti-depressants (a key product for pharmaceuticals). They do have their very good use, but they also have this harmful side effect of causing crohns and UC.
So we trade a little wellness for one person and endanger another. It does present a quandry, but certainly it must be faced, if people take seriously ill innocent people as a result. The advent of anti-depressants has caused this dilemna in the last fifty years. And anti-depressants can be compared to marijuana, cocaine, etc. in the harm stimulants do. Unfortunately, they are a legal license to kill. Let us make sure it does not happen as frequently as it does. After all, I cry every day, Doctor Doctor, first do no harm. We must remain alert, as other illnesses have their clear signposts.
So in any case, Fidel must be free of stimulant takers in his life as we all should, if vulnerable. I am sure they would oblige him by ceasing the drug. Fatigue and mental confusion is part of crohns as ANY SYMPTOM affecting the body can be. It once was called Regional Enteritis, but since symptoms are all inclusive, the illness now bears the name of Dr. Burrill Crohn, sho researched with his colleagues endlessly this strange illness. The answer was never found, but he concluded that it was of environmental origin.
Lastly, strength and health can be had with the cessation of stimulant use by friends, family and associates as the mind governs this illness. I hope Fidel Castro will regain his strength and health for a natural lifetime for many, many years.
With all good wishes. A vacation to divert his thoughts might do him well
Gail Michael
June 17th, 2007 at 11:48 am
One more note on the most important subject to me. I am thrilled for Fidel Castro, looking well, and feeling better. Hope it lasts and lasts, although vigilence is important and not an easy task. I would like to say, however, I doubt very much he had Diverticular disease. That is a mainstream and common condition which would not have sidelined Fidel. Diverticulitis is easily understood, but for some reason (probably the ridiculous aspects of Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis, no one wants to admit to that illness. Besides, once a person solves the mystery of it and can understand the cause, and feels better, that is the end of concern for exposing the illness. But I am beside myself in the desire to expose the weirdness of this illness that acts erratically on the body and can do untold damage and death prematurely. It is of a mind / body connection caused by someone using a stimulant and has a mind connection to someone that it will affect causing disability. And of course worse than anthing, it continues to destruct regardless of whether the two (or more) are in each others presence or miles and miles apart. It is a simple fact and yet a complex one. Life is truer than fiction, and this is one of the best examples. The advent of anti-depressants has increased the risks to almost all, as physicians have become legal drug pushers with a license to kill from the pharmaceutical cos. I do believe they also pay to further this dangerous agenda and the bible speaks of bribe takers and iniquity as the worst of character. I implore for some statement from anyone that is courageous enough to try to expose this silent killer. I have a dear friend in a nursing home (and all nursing homes are rampant with anti-depressants) when Valium or Ativan can be used instead to no harm to anyone. Premature deaths from Crohns illness are common and attributed to the normal progression of illness, when it is quite clear their condition has progressed strangely and quickly into different avenues for which the patient was never admitted, but who cares? The nursing home is concerned with profit, and when the simple measure of banning all anti-depressants, (as was the situation before they were ever in the world) would give the residents comfort in their day to day existence in the nursing homes.
I cannot watch the misery of the residents, and many times the employees (who leave once they realize they are not well and due to the anti-depressants). So who can speak up? That rare individual who is not afraid of being ridiculed or crossing the physicians, psychiatrists, and pharmaceutical companies, whosw golden product can be likened to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, who have the same danger, but are used on an individual basis and not in institutions. I waited for someone who fit the category of being well known, ill with Crohns or UC and capable of being well. The world would have to pay attention, I thought, but in deference to the privacy and regard for Mr. Castro (also not to hurt him) I abstain from voicing the situation. But my despair is overwhelming, and time for Dr. Burrill Crohn to be recognized as the wonderful activist and researcher that he was in seeking the cause of Crohns and UC. (never found the cause, but concluded that it was of environmental cause). Will his efforts and mine go by the wayside. It would be easy to do so, but integrity compels the cause to be exposed, if only by saying it was discovered by research and let Mr. Castro enjoy his health as he is entitled to. Hopefully for a long, long, time.
Thank you everyone. My heart is filled with gratitude for the chance to unburden my heart somewhat and save lives as what are we in the world for?