Report: Spanish surgeon flown to Cuba treat to Castro (Is Castro still dead?)

Miami Herald ^ | 12.24.2006 | CAWats

[CAWats]

MADRID, Spain - A leading Spanish surgeon has flown to Cuba to treat Fidel Castro, a Spanish newspaper reported Sunday.

Castro, 80, has not appeared in public since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July. Since then here has been little information from Cuba regarding his condition. Castro has placed his younger brother, Raul, in charge of government.

Barcelona-based El Periodico said Dr. Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido, chief surgeon at Madrid's Gregorio Maranon hospital, was taken to Havana, the Cuban capital, Thursday on a Cuban government chartered flight. The newspaper said he took with him medical material not available in Cuba.

Although aware of Castro's condition, Sabrido was to examine him in person before deciding whether the Cuban leader should undergo more surgery, El Periodico said.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a close ally of Castro, recently denied reports that the Cuban communist leader was suffering from cancer.

No one was available Sunday at either the Gregorio Maranon hospital or the Cuban embassy to comment on the Spanish report.

[Salvey]

Sabrido is a world-renowned specialist in the demanding art of embalming.

[gogogodzilla]

Ya know, I first read this as:

Report: Spanish sturgeon flown to Cuba, treat to Castro

[buffyt]

I was hoping it was Senior Jacko Kevoriano!

[buffyt]

Kevorkiano

[edpc]

Hmmmm.....I thought the Cuban healthcare system was so great. Why would they need outside assistance?

/s

[dfwgator]

But....but...I thought Cuba's Health Care system was the best in the world. Why would they need to bring in doctors from Spain?

[GSlob]

why would any self-respecting doctor fly to examine a castro? It is not that he is hungry, and it is unlikely they could threaten him in Spain. Besides, doesn't he have enough patients needing his attention at his hospital?

[kalee]

Googled the dr and found he's a pancreatic cancer specialist

[GSlob]

Pancreatic - 6 months from the early diagnosis. The case is anything but early. End of February at the latest.

[Darth Republican]

Is Castro still dead?

Who knows?

[Taylor42]

Has the mourning in Hollywood started?

[Vermont Lt]

The newspaper said he took with him medical material not available in Cuba.

Does this mean stuff like clean scapels, dressings, and hot nurses?

[CAWats]

"Cuba denies reports that Castro is very ill - stating he has stomach flu and cannot keep his food down."

[mware]

Googled the dr and found he's a pancreatic cancer specialist

Shows us something about the media when you as a blogger had the intellectual curiosity to find out the doctors specialty and the paper to report this did not

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Googled the dr and found he's a pancreatic cancer specialist

Is that one of the really painful ones?

[Danae]

Yes, it is. My Grandmother died of it. She could not keep food down either. She basically starved to death and was on 70mg of Morphine several times a day for the pain. She died 2 months after she was diagnosed.

It isn't pretty in the least.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I am sorry to hear about your Grandmother.

[Dallas59]

Dear Castro...

[FreePaul]

The newspaper said he took with him medical material not available in Cuba.

What??? I thought Cuba had the finest medical care available anywhere. Maybe all of their "medical material" is tied up taking care of the peasants.