Call it an overactive interest in celebrity illnesses, but just like I'm skeptical about how Jett Travolta died, I'm curious if we're really getting the whole story from Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

In a very honest letter today, Jobs said he now knows why he's lost so much weight, and that he's on the road to recovery. He said he has a hormone imbalance that has been robbing him of needed proteins. He only recently learned of this diagnosis after full blood tests.

Jobs said he decided to share his condition to quell rumors that have been flying since his decision last month to hand over Macworld keynote speaking duties to senior vice president Phil Schiller, who will speak tomorrow.

Now, Jobs is a survivor of a rare type of pancreatic cancer. Many of us in the tech world wonder if this latest illness is a recurrence, or if something else is going on.

So the question is: Will Jobs make an appearance on stage, following whatever announcement the super-secret company makes? It would certainly do Apple fans (and investors) well to see him in his traditional jeans and black turtleneck outfit. Jobs' letter was the subject of much comment on Slashdot today. And perhaps this isn't a laughing matter, but I couldn't help giggling over entries like this:

I just want to update everyone on my weight. I lost a few pounds when I got sick recently. Well, that or the scale varies by a few pounds (I just started using it, so I don't know how much it normally varies). I hope to have my weight back up in a few weeks. I hope this calms everyone's curiosity. I'll keep you updated on this as it progresses.

Meanwhile, while we wait for Macworld, here's the text of the letter Jobs posted on the Apple web site.

January 5, 2009

Letter from Apple CEO Steve Jobs

Dear Apple Community,

For the first time in a decade, I'm getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I've decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.

As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause of the hormone imbalance that has been "robbing" me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.

The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment. But, just like I didn't lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple's CEO during my recovery.

I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple's CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.

So now I've said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.

Steve