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Tree man 'who grew roots' may be cured
by James Pate | November 13, 2007 at 03:23 pm | 4980 views | 3 comments | 0 recommendations
I've been imagining what this guy's life has been like. I'm not sure if there are words to describe how hard his life has been. He got a cut on his knee as a teenager, and as a result he eventually lost his job, his wife, his ability to take care of himself, was ridiculed and outcast. He had to humiliate himself so he could provide for his children.
Warning: This video some might consider graphic:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1137942530/bclid1155254697/bctid1305059663
I'm glad to hear that he will live a more normal, fuller life. If anyone deserves it, it's this guy. Go Dede!
There is a documentary featuring Dede called "Half Man Half Tree" airing on Discovery Channel at 9pm on Nov 15 if anyone is interested in seeing it.
Tree man 'who grew roots' may be curedBy Matthew Moore
Last Updated: 7:39pm GMT 13/11/2007
An Indonesian fisherman who feared that he would be killed by tree-like growths covering his body has been given hope of recovery by an American doctor - and Vitamin A.
Dede, now 35, baffled medical experts when warty "roots" began growing
out of his arms and feet after he cut his knee in a teenage accident.The welts spread across his body unchecked and soon he was left unable to carry out everyday household tasks.
Sacked from his job and deserted by his wife, Dede has been raising his
two children - now in their late teens - in poverty, resigned to the
fact that local doctors had no cure for his condition.To
make ends meet he even joined a local "freak show", parading in front
of a paying audience alongside victims of other peculiar diseases.Although supported by his extended family, he was often a target of abuse and ridicule in his rural fishing village.
But
now an American dermatology expert who flew out to Dede's home village
south of the capital Jakarta claims to have identified his condition,
and proposed a treatment that could transform his life.After testing samples of the lesions and Dede's blood, Dr Anthony
Gaspari of the University of Maryland concluded that his affliction is
caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a fairly common infection
that usually causes small warts to develop on sufferers.Dede's problem is that he has a rare genetic fault
that impedes his immune system, meaning his body is unable to contain
the warts.The virus was therefore able to "hijack
the cellular machinery of his skin cells", ordering them to produce
massive amounts of the substance that caused the tree-like growths
known as "cutaneous horns" on his hands and feet....
"The likelihood of having his deficiency is less than one in a million," Dr Gaspari told the Telegraph.
November 13, 2007 at 03:23 pm by James Pate, 4980 views, 3 comments
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (3)
at 16:49 on November 13th, 2007
Well being involved in the past in scientific research, I will go out on a limb here and say Franky I'm Stumped!
at 18:56 on November 13th, 2007
Hahaha, those are great. Pun number tree right here.
- reply
Disgusted (not verified)at 15:49 on September 21st, 2008
I know it's "all in good fun" but I am truly shocked and appalled by all the "puns" and "jokes" made by people about this case! I really am very ashamed sharing the same race with some of these people posting comments!! Not necessarily the comments left on this page but on other pages I've seen about this poor man. (Comments like "Well he can always tell women he's got wood" or "What do you suggest for this condition? I would suggest sandpaper and Murphy's" and horrible things like that!)
I am a firm believer in laughing at everything---I'm a huge fan of Carlos Mencia and his views on laughing at all things God has done to show his humor and irony in life.. BUT I think there's a line that a lot of people have crossed. This poor man lost everything and spent his life humiliating himself just to provide for his children, which is more than my own father of 5 children ever did for us! I just feel that he has had so much trauma and tragedy in his life--being the outcast in his own town, losing his wife (who should be publicly smeared, I think!!) that I just don't like seeing all these people laughing about him online. I highly doubt that he wants to be the subject of all of this "hilarity" which is grossly uncalled for, and be now the laughing stock of--not only his little town in Indonesia--but on a much grander scale of the world wide web! Everyone has their little "joke" to add and people giggle and snicker but I find it very disgusting!
I just want to say that this man is a good man for doing whatever necessary to take care of his children and also for surviving through such an ordeal. People like him in this world are so rare and so incredibly inspiring! I am so proud of people like him who take on such tragedies and yet still remain so positive about life. He is truly a hero, in my eyes. All my thoughts, prayers, and only the best of wishes to him and his family. I'm praying for a complete and hasty recovery for him. Dede, you are an inspiration to so many! Don't let ANYONE get you down!
It's not that I don't have a sense of humor, because I love to laugh but I hardly feel that this is a laughing matter! Now if and when the time comes that Dede can look back and laugh, I see no problem but until then, all the hurtful words and jokes are just mean. People should be ashamed of themselves because I highly doubt anyone would be laughing if it were them or their own family member or friend going through this harrowing ordeal and seeing all these remarks. What happened to compassion for your fellow human being?? But it's alright because what goes around comes around, so I'd be very wary and wondering just what kind of human being I am to say some of the things being said.
Thanks.