Raul Castro shared the news late on November 25th that the former Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro had passed away. Yet, he didn’t share the cause of death. The Cuban dictator (90 years old) had a long list health issues, but various media outlets speculate that he died from diverticulitis, which happens when pouches or diverticula form in the wall of the colon and get inflamed or infected.
Castro was first diagnosed with diverticulitis in 2006. In 2010 he opened up to the Mexican Newspaper, La Jornada, telling them how he thought he was at “death’s door.” He shared how he had multiple surgeries to correct the problem and even an emergency intestinal surgery.
“Laid out in that bed, I could only see what was around me, machines I did not understand … I didn’t know how long this torment would continue. The only thing I could hope for was that the world would stop. But I recovered.”
According to Harvard Health, diverticular disease of the colon accounts for 3,400 deaths in the United States, costing the economy over 2.4 billion a year. Diverticulosis does not cause any troublesome symptoms but may include constipation, alternating diarrhea, painful cramps or tenderness in the lower abdomen, chills or fever. If you experience these symptoms, it is important to visit your doctor as soon as possible.