11/21/24
July 26, 2004
Famous anus:: In sports world medical news reminiscent of George Brett's hemorrhoidal issue during the 1980 World Series, an exhausted Jason Giambi is being tested for entamoeba histolytica, a parasite that embeds itself in the intestinal lining and can cause fatal illness.
That's not even clever... I think I heard enough 'buttf*cking jokes' while sitting near the meatheads in highschool to last a lifetime.
posted by crank at 08:54 PM on July 26, 2004
It floors me that part of my brain is now occupied by this little tidbit of information. I feel very guilty and am now going to read a book. Just too much!
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:04 PM on July 26, 2004
Sorry if I offended... it is a thread titled "Famous anus," though.
posted by dusted at 09:07 PM on July 26, 2004
Oh no, not offended or anything... It's just, I dunno, it seems like such an obvious quip. Props for "famous anus," though... Play on!
posted by crank at 09:41 PM on July 26, 2004
Actually when I first heard that Brown, Giambi and Giambi's wife all had the same parasite I thought it sounded like the kind of awkward situation that must have reared its ugly head countless times during the heyday of wife-swaping back in the 70s... Then I thought of the time I was at the gym and overheard three of the regulars (2 men, 1 woman)loudly discussing their oral herpes. Ugh, sorry dusted, I guess I just engaged in the type of humor I was trying to pretend was below me. I suck. :)
posted by crank at 09:58 PM on July 26, 2004
Some rare textads gracing this thread: Intestine Cleansing Parasites in Humans Parasite Cleansing Parasite Elimination Help
posted by jason streed at 11:06 PM on July 26, 2004
Then I thought of the time I was at the gym and overheard three of the regulars (2 men, 1 woman)loudly discussing their oral herpes. FYI, around 80-90% of American adults are infected with HSV-1, the virus that causes oral herpes. So it's not like the folks at your gym are a bunch of dirty perverts or something... Genital herpes is caused mostly by HSV-2. Only 25% of American adults are infected with HSV-2 (which is still a lot if you think about it).
posted by molafson at 11:14 PM on July 26, 2004
jason, don't forget the ever present Walmart Movies!
posted by billsaysthis at 12:20 AM on July 27, 2004
The bathroom humor will probably seem a bit less funny if this disease develops as it might. Here's hoping it don't. (And jeez, the Yankees can do without Giambi okay, but they really need Kevin Brown.)
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:09 AM on July 27, 2004
posted by jerseygirl at 08:46 AM on July 27, 2004
Have you seen the interviews with Giambi lately? He has been giving full disclosure on every single doctor's visit. Let's hope they find what's ailing him.
posted by usfbull at 08:52 AM on July 27, 2004
The bathroom humor will probably seem a bit less funny if this disease develops as it might. You clearly weren't in my 5th grade class when the Challenger crashed.
posted by yerfatma at 10:17 AM on July 27, 2004
The bathroom humor will probably seem a bit less funny if this disease develops as it might. You clearly weren't in my 5th grade class when the Challenger crashed. No, I was already pretty much a grownup at that point. Let me rephrase, then: the bathroom humor will probably seem a bit less funny to some subset of us grownups if this disease develops as it might ;-) (...while for those of us who've had intestinal parasites in the past, it just plain hurts to laugh)
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:48 AM on July 27, 2004
for those of us who've had intestinal parasites in the past, it just plain hurts to laugh Still?
posted by jerseygirl at 11:53 AM on July 27, 2004
Some rare textads gracing this thread: Intestine Cleansing Parasites in Humans Parasite Cleansing Parasite Elimination Help I like that spy/adware removal is included with this group of textads. Appropriate no?
posted by lilnemo at 12:09 PM on July 27, 2004
Clearly, if Giambi had just read our textads, he'd be healthy again. Are we going to get into the steroid angle as some others have or just leave it be?
posted by jerseygirl at 04:11 PM on July 27, 2004
Just don't see any relationship there. He seems genuinely ill.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:36 PM on July 27, 2004
there's been speculation that the parasite thing is a smokescreen by the yankees p.r. for steroid withdrawal. but i don't think they would've gotten this elaborate. if they were trying to cover something up they probably would've gone straight to chronic fatigue or something (which he may end up having anyways).
posted by goddam at 10:45 PM on July 27, 2004
There is a Mefi thread that mentions a link between steroid usage and intestinal parasites (posted by a Red Sox fan, imagine that). It's good to see we're not the only ones engaging in a little immaturity.
posted by dusted at 12:04 AM on July 28, 2004
You know, as this has developed into something much much more serious, Red Sox fans aren't delighting in this man's ailment, if that was part of the implication there, dusted. There's ballgame rivalry and then there's the serious real world. When something this real comes down, the team you root for (or against) doesn't really matter anymore. I was speaking more on the terms of Giambi's earlier weight loss coming into spring training, his knee problems and now this susceptibility to a major parasitic infection. If anyone felt there was a correlation in all of it or if they were independant in of themselves (which is also very possible). Ugh, now that I've skimmed the MeFi thread, maybe we shouldn't go there. (MeFi does sports. Who knew?)
posted by jerseygirl at 05:22 AM on July 28, 2004
Yeah, that MeFi thread sucks. To be fair to the Red Sox fans, there are some defending Giambi to a certain extent, and not making the bizarre argument that "He is sick, ergo it is likely he took steroids."
posted by rocketman at 05:22 AM on July 28, 2004
FIRST let me say that as a die-hard yankee fan, Giambi has been a major letdown. He has hands of stone, feet of concrete, and should just accept that he is a DH, and not meant to play the field. SECOND it is ok for the Yanks to have mediocre hitting Tony Clark at 1B while Giambi is out. Clark is an exceptional fielder. His bat has power, even if he is hitting in the low 200s. He also has superb clubhouse presence, a major asset on that team. THIRD, this is a health issue. Can you imagine the fear Giambi must have? They test him for cancer, for oddball diseases, for very dangerous virus strains and potentially fatal rare disorders. All that money doesn't mean anything when one's life is on the line. Although I'd love to see him shipped back to the A's where he could make a difference, I have compassion for him. He is living a nightmare. There is one thing, though . . . . others with this malady have recuperated. Could it be that he stopped taking steroids and his immune system is shot? Does this mean maybe he will go on Prednisone (a scary drug, in the steroid family) to get healthy? Egad, a nightmare doesn't even begin to describe it. I hope the guy gets healthy soon.
posted by DeanLand at 06:07 AM on July 28, 2004
Ugh, now that I've skimmed the MeFi thread, maybe we shouldn't go there. (MeFi does sports. Who knew?) Yeah they've never done sports very well over there. Usually someone comes in early on in the thread and says "Bring it to SpoFi."
posted by crank at 08:14 AM on July 28, 2004
There is one thing, though . . . . others with this malady have recuperated. Could it be that he stopped taking steroids and his immune system is shot? Does this mean maybe he will go on Prednisone (a scary drug, in the steroid family) to get healthy? Steroids are said to be an immune system stressor in general, and while there are claims (from anabolicsmall.com, so take it with a grain of salt) that the presence of steroids in the bloodstream can stimulate "killer cell" activity, that's a mixed blessing at best, and there are other downsides. Anyway, I wouldn't expect someone's immune response to nosedive as a consequence of stopping taking steroids -- the steroids cause the problem, and the problem would be there before and after. As I understand it, prednisone is actually an immune suppressant. I dunno, though, that there's any indication that there was ever anything wrong with Giambi's immune system. It's like in the early days of Lyme disease, when symptoms weren't recognized and a lot of infected people went undiagnosed for a long time, even when they were going to their doctors with complaints. A lot of those people took a long, long time to get over the disease, because once it was established, it was a lot harder to shake. I expect parasites are much the same: the longer they have to get established, the harder they are to get rid of. And why would Giambi have suspected parasites? That's something you think about if you're traveling in a developing country or in the wilderness, but he wasn't -- and if you go to a city doctor with nonspecific symptoms, parasites are not going to be the first thing they check, or even one of the first ten. So I'm guessing it went on for way too long without being diagnosed, and even assuming a completely healthy immune system, it'll take a while to shake -- and antiparasitic drugs are pretty hard on you, too.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:50 AM on July 28, 2004
Red Sox fans aren't delighting in this man's ailment, if that was part of the implication there, dusted. It wasn't. I just read this comment and thought I'd mention it. Some A's fans were really bitter when Jason left, but I don't think any of them are delighting in his ailment either.
posted by dusted at 10:44 AM on July 28, 2004
Prednisone is a very strange drug. In some ways it is a wonderdrug, the pharmacure for all sorts of ailments. But on the other hand, the side effects are debilitating and can have serious contraindications. Prednisone is used in various instances, sometimes to offer the exact opposite response. Immune supressant in some cases, yet it also can stimulate the immune system when used in tandem with other pharmaceuticals. In some cases it is blended with dosages of toxins, to force the immune system to jump-start and act in overload, in order to effectively fool the body into action. Steroids are a slippery slope. Some of the side effects are lasting. I know this from within my own family's experience. And on another topic within this discussion, I cannot imagine other MLBer taking any sort of delight in Giambi's ailment. Giambi isn't the type to alienate other players (like, say Pedro does, or Piazza the hothead), and this could be way more serious than what is already known. Wait, I take that back. Maybe Jason Varitek is acting as though he's happy over it, thinking that'll get the Red Sox to play better. And also that visitor's bullpen Fenway attendant from last year, he's probably happy if he hears that one of the Yankees stubbed a toe.
posted by DeanLand at 01:44 PM on July 28, 2004
Wait, I take that back. Maybe Jason Varitek is acting as though he's happy over it, thinking that'll get the Red Sox to play better. And also that visitor's bullpen Fenway attendant from last year, he's probably happy if he hears that one of the Yankees stubbed a toe. You're new, so I'll go easy on you. Don't go there. Don't invent scenerios or try to make something out of that which you know nothing about. While the teams are rivals, I HIGHLY doubt Varitek is in the clubhouse everynight telling the team, "Let's go out and beat this team! Jason Giambi is possibly terminally ill, so let's rally together because this guy may die! Hooray!" While these teams are rivals on the field, some of these guys have known each other for years. You don't take joy in another person's personal serious bad times like that. You just don't. And Giambi had nothing to do with Paul Williams.
posted by jerseygirl at 02:43 PM on July 28, 2004
Prednisone is a very strange drug. In some ways it is a wonderdrug, the pharmacure for all sorts of ailments. But on the other hand, the side effects are debilitating and can have serious contraindications. Having had taken prednisone, you're right on about the side effects. I was on a short treatment of about a month, first via IV and then weaned off by pill. I was miserable; I had put on a lot of water weight. Had a voracious hunger. I was so angry and couldn't control my temper. Irritated. Exhausted. Thirsty. Developed an odd rash on my arms and unusual acne. I developed a ridiculous case of acid reflux that felt like a heart attack; I swore I was going to die and then ended up having a panic attack about thinking I was dying. It was the most terrible treatment experience ever. If anabolic is anything like prednisone, I don't know how they survive day to day. But, it healed me.
posted by jerseygirl at 02:51 PM on July 28, 2004
Personally I think these guys just hate each other in uniform only. Everyone is too rich to genuinely despise one another. I bet the Red Sox are very supportive of one of the fraternity facing something scary. Besides, Giambi is such a goof (in the positive, fun-loving sense - not the prison kiddie touching sense), how can anyone hate him?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:28 PM on July 28, 2004
You're new, so I'll go easy on you. Don't go there. Uh, what? First of, I think he was joking. Secondly, there's senority here? Or are you saying you would have Brought the Rain to anyone who "knew better"? As David Cross once said in a fantastic Mr. Show sketch, "Learn to read!" I know it's the web and it can be hard to discern tone, but when it comes to all things New England you seem to have trouble stepping back. Just the advice of one of the Old Timers here, so you'd better take it. Also, "Don't go there" is only used as a sort of meta-aware ironic comment nowadays. I wouldn't even mention it, but you're relatively new here.
posted by yerfatma at 06:36 AM on July 29, 2004
I knew I'd get shit for this. As soon as I sent it, I knew I should have worded it better. I was being sarcastic. Probably should have dropped a winky emoticon on it so there'd be no confusion. Well, to clarify, I was being sarcastic about the "You're new, so I'll go easy on you" part. Every word following it I meant. If the tone was taken wrong - totally my error. And if he was joking, again, the tone didn't transfer. I'm sure as hell not around here or participating much, and definitely would have no case to pull rank on anyone.
posted by jerseygirl at 07:59 AM on July 29, 2004
So what you're saying is, "Learn to read!" I think we all wrestle with the desire to communicate tone vs. the awfullness of emoticons.
posted by yerfatma at 10:52 AM on July 29, 2004
Yeah. I agree. In fact, most of the time when I re-read my posts I come across as a total asshole. Weird, huh? Moi? And really I'm not an asshole at all there, fuckface.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:59 PM on July 29, 2004
Shut the fuck up, Weedy. You're out of your element.
posted by yerfatma at 02:17 PM on July 29, 2004
I am the Walrus.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 05:28 PM on July 29, 2004
giambi diagnosed with benign tumor
posted by goddam at 10:36 PM on July 30, 2004
I think a comment from an A's fan here says it best: "Yeah, Gumbi has all the money in the world after signing with the Yanx to get better doctors. He should stop plugging Kevin Brown, though."