04/20/24
October 26, 2005
Pats' Bruschi on Bills game: 'I'd like to get out there': I'm not a huge fan of Bruschi, but good luck to him. I have a brother-in-law who had a more severe stroke and it was painful watching a young man (35 at the time) in incredible shape crapping his pants and talking like a child.
posted by willthrill72 to football at 02:46 PM - 8 comments
I hope Cold Beer comes back and is fine...and I also hope this is able to do a lot for stroke awareness and for people with strokes. Stroke happens as a result of a huge range of medical problems, and it affects many, many people. Pre-stroke, Bruschi was the heart of the Patriots in many ways; now maybe he will start to become the heart of something bigger as well.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 03:03 PM on October 26, 2005
We were close. I'm just stating the facts, I'm not being insensitive. He had a brain tumor. When the surgeons opened him up, he had a severe stroke. During the recovery he had reverted to being a child. He was very athletic. He played hockey and was a body builder in his younger days. It was very tough to see someone so strong become someone totally dependant.
posted by willthrill72 at 03:05 PM on October 26, 2005
I wish Bruschi nothing but the best. But what is he basing his decision to come back on? I remember seeing film of him playing with his boys at last years Super Bowl. I've got 2 boys and the thought of maybe losing my physical capabilities and not being able to ever play with them again is very scary. I'm sure he doesn't need the money. If I felt 100% after a year, I might consider it. But this is not even a year since his stroke. Like I said, I hope he get what he wants out of his comeback.
posted by Desert Dog at 04:29 PM on October 26, 2005
I hope and pray that all goes well for him. He is a fun player to watch!
posted by daddisamm at 04:43 PM on October 26, 2005
My mother suffered a horrible stroke in the summer of '79, at the age of 32, and was told she would never walk again. The following summer, she was water-skiing. Now, she still walks with a limp that gets more pronounced the longer she's been walking, and her left arm is more-or-less useless, but back then strokes killed a lot more people than they do now, and someone like Bruschi has way, way better medical care than anyone dreamed of in '79. It wouldn't surprise me to see him come back and play.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 05:07 PM on October 26, 2005
But what is he basing his decision to come back on? A lot of very well qualified medical opinions, so we're told.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 05:30 PM on October 26, 2005
crash, I'm sorry to hear that. My family has a zillion good stroke stories, thanks to the luck of the Irish. My grandfather, a true Irish cop, struggled through a series of strokes in his later years. My mother and I still refer to boats on the water as "cars" in honor of him. Best story: my aunt received a call at work from a neighbor telling her Pa was out painting the house. At age 70+. After a few strokes. In his on inimitable style: tying a rope around the chimney and hanging down the three stories of the house. Job needed doing.
posted by yerfatma at 05:51 PM on October 26, 2005
Very sensitive. You must have been close.