The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Larry Hughes’ younger brother, Justin, is experiencing complications with the heart he received during a transplant more than eight years ago.
On May 20, Justin Hughes was hospitalized after an annual heart examination determined that his body had begun rejecting the organ. He also has developed kidney problems.
The Post reported that Justin Hughes was released from the hospital on June 4. Additional tests were scheduled for June 14 to see if stronger doses of anti-rejection medication would stabilize his heart.
Vanessa Hughes told the newspaper, “Once an organ gets that old, there’s not a whole lot you can do, but just try to keep it protected. That’s what they are aiming at.”
For Larry Hughes, who just completed the most successful season of his career and led the Washington Wizards to the playoffs and a first-round triumph over the Chicago Bulls, Justin’s illness has been extremely difficult.
“I just really take it day by day. I know things happen and they happen for a reason,” Larry said. “I can’t try to figure out the reason why. I just have to think, ‘What can I do to make the situation better?'”
The complete article on the Hughes family can be read at www.washingtonpost.com.