I'm guessing AIDS.
shareIF Jenny had aids, it is higly likely both Forrest and his son obtained
it from her as well, but they both seem very healthy. I would go with the book
and say it was hepatitis.
Magic Johnson Didn't pass his H-I-V- to his wife or child
Women, can't live with em; So stuff your mother and live with that.(Bullet Tooth 504)
Aids
shareIt's never flat out said that aids is what Jenny died from, but she gives clues about her having an unknown disease that doctors don't know how to treat.
She said this during the time of the early 1980s when aids was spreading quickly between gay people and drug users.
We are left to assume that her time of multiple sex partners and drug use is what caused her to obtain aids.
Was aids really unknown during those times? Then yes that's what she died from.
shareIt was just coming into public awareness in the early 1980s.
The medical community was a little more up on it in terms of knowing what it was, but was still pretty much at a loss as to what to do about it.
AIDS was pretty much in the plague esque disease of the 80's. Once you got it then you were done. Most people died quickly but others got wind of it early and fought until they couldn't anymore. Over time medicines came about and survival rates have increased same with public perception. Back then you got AIDS it meant two things: 1. Your gay, and 2> Your a druggie. In fact back then it was called the gay cancer. In Jenny's case it's the latter.
In 1981 when she died it was very early in the process of discovering it and doctors couldn't do a damn thing. It was just a matter of time before she was gone. Hence why she got in touch with Forrest and told him about their boy and told him her true feelings. It rushed it but I' sure she meant it in the end.
at the Time they thought it was a form of Cancer! Until they tested the supposed
"patient Zero"
Women, can't live with em; So stuff your mother and live with that.(Bullet Tooth 504)
She died of Hepatitis C. It was an unknown disease until 1989.
share[deleted]
Cough due to cold.
jk, it was hep c.
If it was AIDS, what are the chances it would have been passed to Little Forrest, or she could have given it to big Forrest? She almost certainly would have gotten it before giving birth.
shareThat's the saddest part of the ending. It leaves you guessing, doesn't it? More than likely, if she had gotten it after having conceived little Forrest, then Big Forrest was in the clear (unless he did the deed during his wedding night). All roads point to all of them having some sort of horrible disease.
shareIt was almost certainly AIDS. In the novel, she doesn't die or even contract a dangerous illness.
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The sun is shining... but the ice is slippery.