Sarcoidosis

Let's just call it the Bernie Mac Disease because saying sarcoidosis is a mouthful. While it's not a Black disease (disease that largely strikes African Americans) like sickle cell anemia its more along the lines of AIDS, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast or lung cancer.

A definition given by a presenter with a thick accent explains in laymen's terms what the disease is with links to slides and other sources. We think it might be of interests if you're unfamiliar with the disease.

The Bernie Mac Foundation offers this definition: "Following exposure to some still unidentified trigger(s), a patient’s immune system is “turned on” in a way that creates a particular pattern of inflammation. The inflammation can affect any organ in the body, but the lungs and skin are the most common. If the inflammation is allowed to continue, the end result will be scarring of the tissue. The goal of treatment is to interrupt the inflammation so that a damaging scar does not form. Scar formation is more important in certain organs – such as the lungs, eyes, heart and brain/brain coverings/nerves – disease involving these organs would be treated with anti-inflammatory medications. Joint and muscle discomfort would also be addressed with anti-inflammatory medications. Skin involvement is more unsightly than dangerous but also can be treated; many times very effectively, by injecting medication directly into the skin lesion."

The most recent info on sarcoidosis is an interview conducted by our Fox5 Washington. "Kim Carrie Grant, who has been diagnosed with Pulmonary Sarcoidosis, and Doctor Gavin Henry, a board certified surgeon with St. Agnes hospital and Howard County General Hospital joined us with more." The interview is of the talking heads variety which is kind of dull but the information is a personal tale that doctor's would consider anecdotal and therefore unimportant. You and we by our very lives aren't statistically significant. It's only when we're affected in substantial numbers that we're no longer an anecdote.