| Thursday May 29 3:56 PM EDT
Friend says Bob Dylan in hospital under false name
NEW YORK (Reuter) - Rock legend Bob Dylan is hospitalized under an assumed
name for treatment of an infection producing swelling around his heart, but
his life was not considered in danger, a source close to Dylan's family
said Thursday.
The source, who asked not to be identified, declined to disclose the
location of the hospital other than to say it is not in New York, as some
media have reported.
Dylan, 56, called off a European tour Wednesday after he was admitted to a
hospital over the weekend "suffering from severe chest pains," his
publicists in London said.
"His condition has been diagnosed as histoplasmosis, a potentially fatal
infection which creates swelling in the sac which surrounds the heart,"
Dylan's London publicists said.
The source said Dylan was being treated with antibiotics, and his condition
was not considered life-threatening. The source declined to elaborate.
Dylan's New York publicists said they hoped he would be well enough to go
through with a U.S. tour slated for August.
He was due to perform in Ireland, Britain and Switzerland during the summer
tour. Van Morrison, who was to appear with him in London June 7, said he
would still perform.
Dylan recently completed a swing through Canada and the Northeast and last
appeared in Los Angeles this month.
He released his first album in 1962 and is considered the most influential
songwriter of his generation, with such classics as "Blowin' in the Wind,"
"The Times They Are A-Changin," "Subterranean Homesick Blues," "Like a
Rolling Stone," "Tangled Up in Blue," and "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35."
Dr. David Pegues, an infectious disease expert at UCLA Medical Center, said
histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus that is extremely common in certain
parts of the United States.
"It's not unusual," he told Reuters. "If untreated, sure it could kill him
... but it's an eminently treatable and curable illness, and I'm sure Mr.
Dylan has the best medical supervision."
He said patients normally can be expected to be out of commission for a few
weeks at least.
Reuters/Variety
|
| I had just discovered electric Dylan when he had his near-fatal motorcycle
accident. This is a little too reminiscent for comfort.
(Just think, if he had died then, we'd have been left to wonder what he
would have done, "had he lived", after Blonde on Blonde... There'd be all
kinds of wild theories.)
I trust when Bob pulls through this, he won't withdraw, esp. from touring,
like last time. This is a whole other situation (esp. if you consider the
motorcycle crash might in effect have saved his life).
Hang in there, Bobby... (Reassuring in a way that Jakob didn't fly home
from touring to visit him.) - JayC.
|