Post by irishlion on Feb 11, 2011 4:51:54 GMT -5
I was conflicted over whether this was anyone's business - but, I guess I'd rather explain than have posters slam Drew for not playing. I guess, after I explain, if you still want to criticize him - that's your right.
Let me briefly explain, for those people that don't know, what happens with a typical migraine. We'll use a "hypothetical" player in a hypothetical game situation. Hey, let's say the team is even up 17 points at the time...
The player feels fine. He feels great. Having a good game. Then, out of nowhere - he starts seeing "sun spots". You know, like you stared into the sun too much. Then - he sees wavy "heat lines" - right in front of him, obstructing his view. He can only see clearly with his peripheral vision - nothing straight ahead. So - Right before he loses his vision entirely - he asks his coach for a sub. Coach asks why? Player says "I can't see." That gets him a sub...
He sits down, puts a towel over his head, and ice on his neck. He takes a pill - one that is supposed to stop the progression of the migraine, but it actually makes it worse. The player hasn't found a medicine that works for him. This one doesn't either.
After he sits, after he takes the pill - he loses the rest of his vision. But ... none of that is the bad part. That's still coming.
Once his vision is totally compromised, then the pain hits. It it more extreme than any "headache" you can imagine. The pain is blinding, debilitating. The pain is so extreme, it makes the player nauseous. He can't move, as every movement echos through his head. He can't make the pain stop. Nothing helps, it just keeps getting worse.
Now - he's relatively blind. He is in extreme pain, trying not to throw up all over the court - and trying really really hard not to collapse in front of all these people.
Then the hot and cold waves hit him. First blinding heat - then freezing cold. Then the core of his body gets hot, while his hands and feet are ice cold. The extremes in sensation make him queasy.
The noise in the gym is deafening. It makes his head pound - magnifying the knives that are stabbing into his temple, into his eyes, into the back of his neck. Yet, he sits there on the bench, with his team. His coach keeps walking down to him asking him if he can go back in. The player has pretty much lost touch with the here and now - he's just trying to survive the pain.
The game ends - He is finally able to get out of the gym. Able to get to his home. He takes another pill, and collapses into his bed. He sleeps for 12 hours, and wakes up weak, with a dull headache. In another 6 hours, he'll be ok.
A player cannot "play through" a migraine. You can't play if you can't see. And Drew's had 3 migraines in 2 weeks. Its a concern.
I understand that if you have not dealt first hand with migraines - you probably think its a "headache". Take a couple advil, and suck it up. Right, ghost? They are just a smidge more serious than that.
Could Drew have played today? Probably - but the LMU doctor hasn't cleared him. It's not his choice. They are being cautious, maybe with good reason.
One more thing - Drew has had migraines since he was a toddler.
In 17 years of playing basketball - Drew had previously missed 2 games in his entire career because of migraines.
Since he has been at LMU (2008) - he has missed class, or practices - but had been lucky to avoid game time problems, until a few weeks ago. He has had migraines - but its been transparent to the outside world until now.
Max stated that this was a "new" problem this year. Not quite true - as the LMU trainer has been carrying medicine in his bag for Drew since he arrived in 08. It has just never impacted the games. I guess that's whats new about it.
We are all hoping that Drew's tests clarify what is causing the migraines, and enable an effective treatment to get him back out on the court quickly. We're hoping that the increased migraine activity isn't anything serious, or new. We're just plain hoping.
Your prayers would be appreciated.
God bless.
Let me briefly explain, for those people that don't know, what happens with a typical migraine. We'll use a "hypothetical" player in a hypothetical game situation. Hey, let's say the team is even up 17 points at the time...
The player feels fine. He feels great. Having a good game. Then, out of nowhere - he starts seeing "sun spots". You know, like you stared into the sun too much. Then - he sees wavy "heat lines" - right in front of him, obstructing his view. He can only see clearly with his peripheral vision - nothing straight ahead. So - Right before he loses his vision entirely - he asks his coach for a sub. Coach asks why? Player says "I can't see." That gets him a sub...
He sits down, puts a towel over his head, and ice on his neck. He takes a pill - one that is supposed to stop the progression of the migraine, but it actually makes it worse. The player hasn't found a medicine that works for him. This one doesn't either.
After he sits, after he takes the pill - he loses the rest of his vision. But ... none of that is the bad part. That's still coming.
Once his vision is totally compromised, then the pain hits. It it more extreme than any "headache" you can imagine. The pain is blinding, debilitating. The pain is so extreme, it makes the player nauseous. He can't move, as every movement echos through his head. He can't make the pain stop. Nothing helps, it just keeps getting worse.
Now - he's relatively blind. He is in extreme pain, trying not to throw up all over the court - and trying really really hard not to collapse in front of all these people.
Then the hot and cold waves hit him. First blinding heat - then freezing cold. Then the core of his body gets hot, while his hands and feet are ice cold. The extremes in sensation make him queasy.
The noise in the gym is deafening. It makes his head pound - magnifying the knives that are stabbing into his temple, into his eyes, into the back of his neck. Yet, he sits there on the bench, with his team. His coach keeps walking down to him asking him if he can go back in. The player has pretty much lost touch with the here and now - he's just trying to survive the pain.
The game ends - He is finally able to get out of the gym. Able to get to his home. He takes another pill, and collapses into his bed. He sleeps for 12 hours, and wakes up weak, with a dull headache. In another 6 hours, he'll be ok.
A player cannot "play through" a migraine. You can't play if you can't see. And Drew's had 3 migraines in 2 weeks. Its a concern.
I understand that if you have not dealt first hand with migraines - you probably think its a "headache". Take a couple advil, and suck it up. Right, ghost? They are just a smidge more serious than that.
Could Drew have played today? Probably - but the LMU doctor hasn't cleared him. It's not his choice. They are being cautious, maybe with good reason.
One more thing - Drew has had migraines since he was a toddler.
In 17 years of playing basketball - Drew had previously missed 2 games in his entire career because of migraines.
Since he has been at LMU (2008) - he has missed class, or practices - but had been lucky to avoid game time problems, until a few weeks ago. He has had migraines - but its been transparent to the outside world until now.
Max stated that this was a "new" problem this year. Not quite true - as the LMU trainer has been carrying medicine in his bag for Drew since he arrived in 08. It has just never impacted the games. I guess that's whats new about it.
We are all hoping that Drew's tests clarify what is causing the migraines, and enable an effective treatment to get him back out on the court quickly. We're hoping that the increased migraine activity isn't anything serious, or new. We're just plain hoping.
Your prayers would be appreciated.
God bless.
