Trivia Tuesday: What Disease Killed Billie Holiday, Jack Kerouac, and Franklin Pierce?

Trivia Tuesday: What Disease Killed Billie Holiday, Jack Kerouac, and Franklin Pierce?

Do you know what disease killed Billie Holiday, Jack Kerouac and Franklin Pierce? Do you need a few hints? This disease is generally contracted from alcoholism and liver failure. Do you still not know what the answer is? Scroll to read more!

The Answer

Did you know that the answer is cirrhosis? Have you ever heard of cirrhosis? Have you ever heard of cirrhosis of the liver before? Did you know that Billie Holiday was a jazz singer, Jack Kerouac a writer, and Franklin Pierce was a president? Keep reading to find out more.

What is Cirrhosis?

Over 30,000 Americans will die of this disease a year. Cirrhosis is a disease that replaces healthy liver tissue with scar tissue. The liver has many different functions. It works to filter fluids, and metabolizes nutrients and chemicals. This is why when people drink, the liver separates the toxins. The toxins being released into our bloodstream is what gives people the feeling of being drunk. Over time, alcohol will repeatedly damage the lining of the liver and lead to permanent damage. This irreversible damage is known as cirrhosis.

Symptoms of Cirrhosis

There are a few tell tale signs that someone may have cirrhosis. Complications include abdominal pain, fatigue, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), changes in weight, vomiting up blood, nausea, shortness of breath and swelling. If you think you or someone you know may have cirrhosis please seek immediate medical attention at the emergency room, or from your primary care physician.

Possible Treatments

The first and most important thing for people with cirrhosis is to stop consuming alcohol or other drugs. Repeated alcoholism is only going to make a person sicker. If drinking feels unavoidable, please contact a rehabilitation facility, or try an inpatient program. Some medications are prescribed for pain. Medical procedures that can be performed include a rubber band ligation, endoscopy, and the placement of a shunt. The only way to having a health liver will be by transplant. However, due to the nature of cirrhosis, people with this disease are not exactly ideal candidates for liver transplants.

Final Thoughts

Did you know that those celebrities had died of cirrhosis? Did you know who the celebrities were? Do you know of someone who has had cirrhosis? Do you know of anyone who has had hepatitis? Do you know of someone who has had a liver transplant? Or has gotten a transplant? Comment below!