RUSH LIMBAUGH’S HEARING LOSS A RESULT OF AUTO-IMMUNE INNER EAR DISEASE

www.drudge report. ^ | OCT 10, 2001 | DRUDGE

[concerned about politics]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX WED OCT 10, 2001 19:10:27 ET XXXXX

RUSH LIMBAUGH’S HEARING LOSS A RESULT OF AUTO-IMMUNE INNER EAR DISEASE

Physicians consulting Rush Limbaugh are now confident the Radio King will be able to retain some of his hearing, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Limbaugh's hearing loss is result of auto-immune inner ear disease.

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A press conference has been called for tomorrow morning [Thursday] at 8 am PT in Los Angeles featuring physicians treating Limbaugh.

Limbaugh’s rapid-onset hearing loss is being treated by ear specialists Antonio De La Cruz, M.D., and Jennifer Derebery, M.D. at the House Ear Clinic and Institute in Los Angeles.

Derebery and De La Cruz are currently treating Limbaugh with medication, and there is some potential for surgical treatment as well. They are confident that with the proper treatment, Limbaugh will be able to retain some of his hearing.

The duo are working together with Michael Weisman, M.D., Director, Division of Rheumatology at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles and Professor of Medicine at UCLA.

Symptoms of auto-immune inner ear disease (AIED) may include fluctuating hearing, dizziness, ear fullness, rapidly progressive Meniere’s disease or a sudden loss of hearing. AIED is rare, causing less than one percent of all cases of hearing loss or dizziness. Doctors believe it is caused by the body’s immune system attacking the inner ear and damaging the hearing nerve.

PREMIERE RADIO NETWORKS chief Kraig Kitchin will join Limbaugh's doctors during the press confererence to reveal new technology being used for Limbaugh's radio program.

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[BunnySlippers]

How did you lose your hearing? My family constantly tells me I'm "going deaf".

They don't know except that it was from a very very early age. I was exposed to a very extreme blast of sound at an early age OR was born with nerve damage.

In kindergarten (I'm a "baby-boomer") ... in the 50's I went to lip reading classes and use lip reading now. I cannot make out lyrics to music but can make out "talk radio". Otherwise I live a normal life and work as an institutional equities trader on a trading desk ... in fact I run the desk. I have never thought of myself as "handicapped".

Tinntinitus (sp) is different. I'm not sure I could handle constant ringing in my ears.

I wish Rush the best. If he can be cured ... it will be at the House Ear Clinic.

[DoctorHydrocal]

That Wild Turkey is good sh*t, isn't it...

ROFL!!!

[BunnySlippers]

I survived a bout with Meniere's Syndrome (inner-ear problem)...was almost sent House Ear Clinic. Its reputation is unmatched in this area of medicine.

As you know the House Ear Clinic is massive. People from all over the world come there for the most severe ear disorders. As you know, ears affect your balance ... when you have really severe balance problems it is impossible to walk ... and impossible to think properly as a result.

[BunnySlippers]

I survived a bout with Meniere's Syndrome (inner-ear problem)...was almost sent House Ear Clinic. Its reputation is unmatched in this area of medicine.

As you know the House Ear Clinic is massive. People from all over the world come there for the most severe ear disorders. As you know, ears affect your balance ... when you have really severe balance problems it is impossible to walk ... and impossible to think properly as a result.

[K7TNW]

"This is a publicity stunt. After a while, Rush will declare himself "cured". Wait and see. "

You are a cynical SOB. Just why would someone (who already has the most popular radio show ever, and makes millions of $) resort to such a totally stupid and easily provable trick. Maybe you are that dumb, but, think what you want of Rush, he ain't dumb. Are you just a tad jealous? HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM?

[Hugh Akston]

A quick and witty ditty there.

[Mikeswife]

My mom has an autoimmune disorder which affects her eyes. She could loose her sight in days/weeks/years depending on the degree of the flare up of the disease. Very very insidious and scary.

[gore3000]

I think the phone call part is not a problem. It looks like they have it pretty well in control already. It seems they are using a voice translator. With the 10 second delay, they can put it on air without people noticing although I am sure that those on the phone probably notice.

[VOA]

This is a publicity stunt. After a while, Rush will declare himself "cured". Wait and see.

If it is, then the M.D.s will have "some 'splain'" to do when they fail to
cure people similarly situated as Mr. Limbaugh.

I may be naive, but I doubt that Limbaugh would put on a stunt like this.
Especially with people from a high-reputation place like the House Ear Clinic
involved in this high-profile case.

[Benrand]

and impossible to think properly as a result.

Are you saying the WH press is DEAF??? Jennings is DEAF...wow, how does he doit?

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Rush and I have the same ear doctor-- M. Jennifer Derebery of the House Ear Clinic in L.A. He's in great hands. She's the best in the business for this sort of thing. (And, a total sweetheart!) I could not be more delighted with this news.

[Glenn]

A quick and witty ditty there.

Thanks for noticing. It's so hard to explain them.

[maranatha]

My brother-in-law had that ringing and it went away when he started taking Ginko. I believe I heard of someone else having the same experience.

[RightOnline]

Ginko, eh? Maybe I should try that..........thanks.

[VRWC_Member428]

This is a publicity stunt. After a while, Rush will declare himself "cured". Wait and see.

And do you also believe that Andy Kaufman is still alive, after having faked his death?

[E.G.C.]

Prayers helped indeed. I read all the articles on the internet this morning. They sound pretty confident this. It appears that his radio show may be safe for the time being. That's good to hear.
Regards.

[Bush2000]

Like it or not, Limbaugh is a fringe-dweller in the media circus. Everyone considers him to be a rightwing ideologue. But handicaps have a way of rehabilitating and softening one's public image. I think Limbaugh truly wants to make conservatism mainstream but, in order to do that, he's got to move the center to the right. What better way to defuse his critics than to emphasize a handicap? This was played to great effect by the late Charles Ruff. Nobody dared criticize him in his wheelchair without being called a bigot.

[K7TNW]

Of course your comment makes no sense at all. Why would someone fake a serious illness, easily uncovered to do something so easily accomplished in other ways? By the way, I don't think any person with an IQ more than 30 could not see that Rush's speech is absolutely indicative of a person with hearing failure. Having worked a bit in this, I can tell you for sure this would be hard to "fix".

But, I submit to your radical suppositions with no indication of evidence!

[Bush2000]

How, exactly, would faking be easily uncovered?

[cricket]

"Hearing aids do not work with nerve damage as there is not a functioning nerve to carry ANY sound ... it's just dead."

His left ear is precisely that. . .right ear on 'life support'; so to speak. . .