Posted on 04/15/2008 5:44:02 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
The 'Tree Man of Java' is hoping to get married after doctors performed four major operations to hack away the bark-like tissue sprouting from his hands and feet.
** Tree man 'who grew roots' may be cured
** Watch: US dermatology expert treats tree man
** Jehovah's Witness fights curse of the face-eating tumour
For 20 years Dede Koswara lived covered in warts with huge tree-like growths encasing his limbs.
Today Dede, whose plight was highlighted on the Telegraph website, can once more use his hands and walk without pain.
He can see the outline of his toes for the first time in over a decade after medics cut more than 4lbs of warty horns from his legs and feet.
He has also become a sudoko addict now medics have cut growths from his hands allowing him to hold a pen. Dede, 37, now hopes that he will resume a normal life after two more operations to graft undamaged skin onto his hands, feet and face.
Speaking from an Indonesian hospital, he said: "What I really want first is to get better and find a job. But then, one day, who knows? I might meet a girl and get married."
Dede's ordeal began when he was 15 and cut his knee in an accident. A small wart developed on his lower leg and spread uncontrollably.
Eventually he had to give up work as a builder and fisherman, and scratch a living in a traveling freak show. His wife of ten years left him as it became impossible for him to support her and their two children.
Late last year, however, Dede's plight was highlighted on Telegraph.co.uk and in a Discovery Channel documentary.
The documentary team took American dermatology expert Dr Anthony Gaspari to Indonesia to see if he could find a cure.
Dr Gaspari, of the University of Maryland, concluded Dede's affliction was caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a fairly common infection usually causing only small warts.
Dede's problem was that he has an extremely rare immune system deficiency, leaving his body 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 causing tree-like growths known as "cutaneous horns".
Tree Man of Java, Dede Koswara, before his operation
Indonesian health officials have suggested that the mysterious immune problem may occur in as few as 200 people worldwide.
Dede's counts of a key type of white blood cell were so low that Dr Gaspari initially suspected he may have the Aids virus.
Immediately after the documentary was aired, a row seemed to be brewing over Dede's treatment. The Indonesian government was worried that Dr Gaspari had taken blood and tissue samples abroad without official authorisation.
This was resolved, and Dr Gaspari has revisited Indonesia to meet the health minister Dr Siti Fadilah Supari. He is now liaising with the doctors caring for Dede at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Bandung, West Java.
Dr Lily Sulityowati, from the Indonesian Health Department, said: "Once Dr Gaspari met with the minister and explained all, we were happy to work with him."
Dede went under the knife for his first operation in January. In the most recent operation, in March, doctors removed growths on his feet. The medics are now trying to ensure that the warts don't grow back.
Dede is taking vitamin A tablets to boost his immune system, and Dr Gaspari is hoping to get expensive anti-viral medicine available only in the US.
Dr Rachmat Dinata, the skin specialist leading the Indonesian doctors, said the final phase of operations should be completed in around three months. They will take skin from Dede's back and thigh and graft it onto damaged areas.
Dede is treated by the American expert Dr. Gaspari
Dr Dinata said: "There is still a high risk that there will be a recurrent growth of warts. So far, though, there has been some thickening of the skin, but no recurrent warts. Dede is very happy. Hopefully he will be able to socialise and work again."
For now, Dede is passing the time in hospital doing sudoko puzzles. Skin grafts on his hands will allow him better movement in his fingers, but he can already punch numbers into a telephone and talk to friends.
His father Ateng, 72, said: "You can see the form of his 10 toes now. He can wear flip flops. He loves doing sudokos. He is in good condition."
Ateng added: "The first priority is to get cured and get a job, but as a father, of course I want my son to remarry. He is a normal guy and he is still a young man."
God bless Dr Gaspari for helping this man. I hope the treatments are successful and he is able to live a normal life.
I’ll never eat curly fries again.
“get expensive anti-viral medicine available only in the US.”
The US, of course, being the only nation with a significant private sector healthcare system, to pay for drug development. The US manufacturer will then likely provide the medication at little or no cost.
In any case, I’m glad this guy can get help. Skin viruses are mysterious, even today.
That is one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. The poor man is very lucky to have received medical help. It sounds as if the warts would have enclosed him at some point.
That is one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. The poor man is very lucky to have received medical help. It sounds as if the warts would have enclosed him at some point.
and remember to lift the seat.
His story was on Discovery or another such channel.It was amazing. His family was afraid of catching his disease, yet they cared for him. His 2 daughters were taken in by relatives. Family taking care of family.
brb.... gotta go wash my hands and scub my feet.
Can I call him an Ent?
Oh well, i guess he doesn’t need to buy toilette paper
God Bless him for keeping his faith.
OH - MY- GOSH......
The cause was HPV. Some studies indicate that 49% of girls from 16 to 49 carry this. That would seem to indicate a similar % of men have it.
It can cause cervical cancer in women and similar cancers in men. There are many strains of it and most usually result in warts.
All thanks to the sexual revolution and promiscuity.
The story that really is infuriating is the one linked about the Jehovah’s witness and the face tumor. It made me want to slap that guy silly. He was perfectly satisfied to ruin the lives of his relatives and stubbornly refused to have the surgery. Glad to see at that link there’s a chance he may go ahead with it.
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