Damn

[mandragora]

So, friend who I'm going out with tonight has rung up to check whether we're still on and said that I might want to know that he's just got his test results and that he hadn't got TB!

I knew he was having tests, but he didn't mention what for. The reason he's been tested is that his girlfriend does have TB. Well, it's either that or she's in the terminal stages of lung cancer. I never thought I'd be hoping that someone has TB, but obviously in this case I am. It's not likely she has lung cancer as she's a 26 years old life-long non-smoker and she has none of the usual symptoms of advanced lung cancer.

But still. Damn.

Here's hoping that her TB is not one of the drug resistant strains and that the 6 months course of antibiotics she's on will cure her.

This is a depressing reminder of how TB is making a come back.

Comments

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Rachel just did an essay on TB. I think she found some pretty scary statistics in her research.

HUGS to all.

Gina

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Many thanks for the hugs, although I might not pass them on just yet... *g*

The statistics are scary. Funnily enough I looked into TB a bit when I was betaing a Pros story and although TB remains relatively rare in the UK it kills 2 million people a year worldwide. The vast majority of these are, of course, of poor people in undeveloped countries who don't have access to the medicines that would cure them. Yes, it is a disgrace.