Is Michael Jackson Dying?

According to recent star news, Michael Jackson is in fact dying. The following news portions and star blogs describe the condition of the "King of Pop":

Pop music icon Michael Jackson is near death, suffering from a potentially fatal genetic disease that has affected his lungs and stripped him of vitality, Jackson-biographer Ian Halperin has claimed in a recent interview.

Speaking with the UK's Sun, Halperin has been quoted saying, 'He needs a lung transplant, but may be too weak to go through with it. He also has emphysema and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, which his doctors have had a lot of trouble stopping. It's the bleeding that's the most problematic part. It could kill him.'

• The Court Of The Dancin' King

Specifically, Halperin claims that Jackson, now 50 years old, has developed a rare alpha-1 anti-trypsin protein deficiency, leaving his lungs unable to protect themselves. He also claimed Jackson, who was photographed in a wheelchair earlier this year, had been battling the disease for several years. 'He can barely speak. The vision in his left eye is 95 percent gone. For years, Michael has been working with his doctors to make sure (the disease) doesn't progress.'

Jackson's usually outspoken and stridently defensive publicist and family members have not moved to deny the claim, which in turn has only fueled speculation.*

*http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/dec/22is-michael-jackson-dying.htm

Is Michael Jackson Dying From Deficiency Disease?*

Posted by Fara Kearnes on December 16, 2008 5:00 PM | Permalink

InTouch Weekly is reporting that Michael Jackson IS gravely ill - and not just faking it to get out of appearing in court. He's alleged to be ill with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and a load of other stuff.

Ian Halperin, an investigative journalist tells the magazine: "He's had it for years but it’s gotten worse. He needs a lung transplant but may be too weak to go through with it.He also has emphysema and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, which his doctors have had a lot of trouble stopping. It’s the bleeding that is the most problematic part. It could kill him."

Halperin added, "For years, Michael has been working with his own doctors to make sure his condition doesn’t progress. He has been on many medications that have stabilized him."

The journalist claims the King of Pop can "barely speak" and "the vision in his left eye is 95 percent gone.”

A close friend of Jackson told Halperin that the singer is scared he won’t live longer than six months.

“Michael wants to have the lung transplant but because of other illnesses he’s fighting he’s too weak to undergo such a major procedure,” the friend said. “He’s taking one painkiller after another. I’ve known him over 20 years and have never seen him in such a frail state. It’s very sad.”

If Jackson is ill, and nearly broke, and wanting to leave something for his kids - that would explain his plans to sell much of his stuff at a massive estate sale scheduled for April 21 to April 25 in Beverly Hills. Included in the auction will be more than 2,000 of his personal items, including the white glove he wore in the 1983 video for “Billie Jean” and the wrought-iron gates from his Neverland Ranch.

*http://www.starblogs.net/archives/2008/12/is_michael_jackson_dying_from.html