Re: The Widow Lewis At It Again

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 07:42 PM 9/12/03 -0400, Kim Malo wrote:

>At 01:35 PM 9/12/2003 -0400, Snoopy the Celtics Beagle wrote:
>>In addition to the drug question is the fact that when he initially 
>>collapsed, the doctors at the hospital told him the problem was 
>>serious.  The Celtics' team doctor said it was serious.  But Reggie kept 
>>shopping for second opinions until he found one he agreed with.  Then, he 
>>kept relevant medical information to himself.
>
>Dunno as **kept** shopping is accurate. An upset Donna understandably 
>turned to people she already knew and trusted more at Brighams (she'd 
>worked there) vs the more personally distant dream team that she and 
>Reggie apparently believed were working more for the Cs and had the Cs 
>interests coming first. No sign of her looking a bunch of other places as 
>well I agree about relevant info (not necessarily or necessarily*just* 
>drugs), but even without that info the dream team got it right. Mudge 
>didn't, and actually realized that to some degree as time went on per a 4 
>part series the Globe did several months later.


To be fair--and accurate, on my part--a lot of this is based on what I 
recall from that time, not any recent info.  But the impression I recall 
was that Reggie had talked to several different doctors before Mudge.  I 
question the assessment that the "dream team working for the C's had the 
C's interest coming first", since they essentially said Reggie's condition 
was extremely serious and his playing days might be over, as best I remember.


>>Frankly, I'm amazed the insurance policy even paid at all given his 
>>obvious refusal to treat his condition seriously.  Various doctors, 
>>including Mudge, tried to minimize the question of drug use--mostly, I 
>>think, for the sake of Reggie's kids--but they couldn't very well ignore 
>>it.  Donna made a big deal of it.  She kept pushing and if there's a 
>>public perception of Reggie Lewis as a drug user, it's because of her.
>
>I agree about the drug user perception, but I think you're way out of line 
>in talking about his obvious refusal to treat his condition seriously. 
>Seriously enough, perhaps. But part of the reason for that has to be laid 
>to Mudge's door. And what was said in public doesn't necessarily fully 
>reflect what anyone thought.

Possibly, but wasn't it established at some point that Reggie kept info 
about his drug use from his doctors?  To me, that, plus the fact that while 
looking for a second opinion closer to what he wanted the diagnosis to be, 
he kept working out, after leaving the hospital against medical advice, 
tells me he wasn't taking his problem seriously.  So I don't think I'm "way 
out of line", though I could obviously be wrong.  Was Mudge partly to 
blame?  Probably, and it's true that a lot of what was actually said behind 
closed doors has probably never been fully or accurately discussed in any 
public forum.


>>I keep trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe she just lost 
>>it when he died. It does happen.  But at this point, I'm impressed at the 
>>restraint shown by Dr. Mudge in not filing charges of his own against 
>>Donna for harassment.  His rep is ruined by the repeated trips to 
>>court.  I'm sure his legal fees are impressive after ten years of this.
>
>His rep was ruined by his own ego determined to show off he knew better 
>than the dream team physician group. Again, back to the articles I re-read 
>not that long ago, there were a lot of reasons to not make the diagnosis 
>he did, certainly not that quikly and conclusively vs leaving it open as a 
>possibility. I agree Donna needs to drop it, but I've not much sympathy 
>for Mudge.

You have an advantage I do not, having re-read the articles.  Given that 
fact, you've got a better analytical grasp of this than I do, relying on my 
memory, which is not too hot sometimes.


>>About the only positive in all this is that Reggie isn't around to see 
>>this idiocy take place in his name.
>
>Mmm. Amen to that.
>
>Kim

The really sad thing is, given what happened to Reggie, and Len Bias--not 
to mention Roy Tarpley--you'd think by now even someone who only got into 
college because they can play a game well would have figured out that drug 
abuse is a bad idea, but nooooo...

"Captain Jack can make you die tonight--just a little 'push' and you'll be 
smiling....." --Billy Joel

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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