GG : a possible underlying cause of physical symptoms

["Kate Clunies-Ross" <katecluniesross@hotmail.com>]

Dear f_minor people,
I am a newcomer to f_minor, and a relative newcomer to GG and his music 
although it has certainly come to assume great importance in my life, which 
I am sure you will understand! Please bear with me if any of my ideas  are 
not new, or seem unlikely.
Gould certainly seems to have suffered more than his fair share of physical 
problems. He is often referred to as a hypochondriac, and granted, he does 
seem to have demonstrated an extreme hypersensitivity and exaggerated 
response to every twinge and ache. However, it seems to me unlikely that all 
his illness could be, if not imaginary, then at least psychosomatic in 
origin (even if he himself grudgingly admitted this as a possibility) Even 
his characteristic bent-over posture at the piano, on the low chair, 
couldn't account for everything although in his later years, when the chair 
lost its leather padding (which was not replaced), I imagine that perching 
on the crossbar must have been a mite uncomfortable!
For the record, it seems his symptoms included: joint and muscle pain 
(especially in the shoulders and arms); kidney problems; raised blood 
pressure; loss of co-ordination and tingling in the fingers; loss of hair 
(as distinct from normal male-pattern baldness; in the last couple of years 
of his life it was said to be "coming out in handfuls" but there may be a 
bit of poetic licence there); and the postmortem report also indicates he 
had a slightly enlarged "fatty" liver too, although no cause was found for 
this (too many scrambled eggs?) or for his various pains.
It occurs to me that all these symptoms could be caused by one illness, 
namely Lupus (SLE) (yes, in case you're interested, I myself have been 
diagnose with this, hence my sense of deja vu when I read about Gould). 
Lupus can also cause damage to the central nervous system, including the 
brain, and depression, although I am not suggesting this was true in GGs 
case. Also I am aware he never seems to have suffered the skin rash 
frequently found in SLE sufferers and although he had finger problems, it 
seems he did not suffer from Raydnauds phenomenon (another possibility with 
lupus).Still, all lupus patients present defferently, and nobody would have 
every possible symptom.
Today lupus is not considered to be a dangerous disease, if controlled, but 
I have read that in the past it could be a bit dodgy and could even result 
in the death of the patient by kidney failure, blood presssure .....and 
stroke.....
Is there any medically knowlegable f-minor out there who could tell me if I 
am talking nonsense or whether  lupus, or any related auto-immune disorder, 
is a possibility?
Lupus is notoriously difficult to diagnose, and is especially rare in men (I 
understand nine-tenths of patients are women) although not impossible. Some 
people go for years without being diagnosed. I expect their friends just 
think they are hypochondriacs.
If GG did had lupus, could it have been treated and his general health 
improved? And ( O what fruitless speculation) would he then perhaps still 
have been with us?
Apologies for such a rambling letter. Best wishes to all fellow Gouldians!
  Kate Clunies-Ross
  Eastbourne, East Sussex, England

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