Delle Donne denied medical opt-out by WNBA | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Delle Donne denied medical opt-out by WNBA

UConnCat said:
The WNBA set up a panel of physicians to make these decisions. The panel has rendered its decision. Are you suggesting the President of the WNBA should overrule the panel's decision for the sake of PR? If so, why establish the panel in the first place?
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Are any of those physicians experts in Lyme disease? Did they consult any experts in the disease? If I was the WNBA I would be on the side of caution, because if she has a history of sitting out parts of the season due to the disease or is she is forced to play then catches COVID they will not have enough money to pay the lawsuit.
 
MSGRET said:
Are any of those physicians experts in Lyme disease? Did they consult any experts in the disease? If I was the WNBA I would be on the side of caution, because if she has a history of sitting out parts of the season due to the disease or is she is forced to play then catches COVID they will not have enough money to pay the lawsuit.
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Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps some journalist covering the WNBA can direct these questions to the WNBA president.
 
oldude said:
The other day I noted that 6 time all star catcher Buster Posey opted out after he and his wife adopted twin baby girls. I don’t know if SF will be paying him or not.
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The twin baby girls are forever. Baseball is not. Buster is already set for life. Good head on his shoulders.

Buster was not a catcher to begin his career at FL State. He became a catcher to help the team and he worked hard at.
 
Shades said:
Even if Lyme Disease were on the CDC’s list, can it be shown that Delle Donne currently has Lyme Disease? Conventional medicine doesn’t recognize it as a disease that you have forever, like HIV.
www.pharmaceutical-technology.com

Chronic Lyme disease: What's actually going on here?

Chronic Lyme disease is one of the most hotly contested diagnoses in modern medicine. How has so much debate developed and does anyone know what’s going on?
www.pharmaceutical-technology.com www.pharmaceutical-technology.com
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Lyme Disease has a set of associated interesting issues, in particular with insurance companies that often drive the overall response. My daughter had it and 10 years later still faces intestinal and energy issues. What is most frustrating is that several state medical associations and insurance firms (Texas is the worst) refuse to authorize many tests and medicines that have proven to be positive tools. My daughter was so ill that she was about to miss her freshman year in college until we paid over $4,000 for care that was uncovered. Immediately cured most of her issues. The US medical system is the best in the world, but insurance firms still have undue influence.
 
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EDD should just opt out. The WNBA knows her situation for physicians to deny her request, just sends a bad message. If I am EDD, I would just opt out. I know she wants to play but this year, it is too risky. Her teammates understand her situation. Her family, friends, and fans understand her situation. Feel bad for her.
 
I get both sides of it....if there isn't any evidence that Lyme disease puts someone at higher risk for Covid, I understand why the W doesn't want to shell out money for someone to sit for something that may or may not put them at higher risk.

I also fully understand why EDD wants to sit out and not risk anything, there's so much unknown right now and it appears she is more susceptible to injury/illness than most. A lot of unknowns and a tough situation, but fortunately many of these vets and stars are in financial situations where they can afford to sit out and watch on the sidelines for a season out of caution, even though they'd obviously prefer to make money if they're able to.
 
I support EDD.

There was an op-ed in USA Today several weeks ago about coronavirus and Lyme disease.

There is some good news for EDD and for other Lyme patients. Harvard just received a $5 million gift to fund research and education about Lyme disease.

Lyme can have very serious consequences if not diagnosed and treated early. Dr. Neil Spector, a physician and cancer researcher at Duke University, required a heart transplant due to damage from Lyme disease. He wrote about his experience in the book “Gone in a Heartbeat.” Unfortunately, Dr. Spector passed away last month.
 
Delle Donne is a homebody, pure and simple. Given a choice of anything it seems she wants to be home. I think I even saw that her and her wife live in a converted garage on her parents’ property. (Could be very wrong there). I’m not sure she plays internationally during the winter either. She’s a superstar and a transcendent talent, when healthy, but she is also just very quiet and boring. Absolutely nothing wrong with that but there’s just no “sizzle.”

When they announced there would be a season she was the first person I assumed would try to opt out. i don’t discount the health concerns but if I had to speculate I’d guess that the idea of being away from home and isolated for so long is the true motivation here. Again, nothing wrong with that and I understand and relate fully. Sucks for her that the doctor’s don’t agree on a medical exemption but such are the rules. if she wants to sit out she won’t get paid and I think that is perfectly reasonable. So many other players are sacrificing for the league and for the game she should not be given special treatment just because she is a star and a MVP.
 
Shades said:
She’s been a top level player ever since she joined the Mystics, so it’s hard to say that Lyme disease in 2008 caused her long term damage that now makes her more vulnerable to coronavirus than anybody else. But I guess everybody is an expert on this issue except this panel of doctors.

Speaking of Lupus, Isabelle Harrison reportedly has Lupus, but she hasn’t tried to opt out. Lauren Cox has Diabetes 1, but I haven’t heard any updates on her. It hasn’t been reported that she’s before the board trying to opt out. I don’t think any rookie wants to opt out.
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Best wishes to Elena, Izzy, and Lauren. I hope they all can stay very safe!
 
RPM101370 said:
Delle Donne is a homebody, pure and simple. Given a choice of anything it seems she wants to be home. I think I even saw that her and her wife live in a converted garage on her parents’ property. (Could be very wrong there). I’m not sure she plays internationally during the winter either. She’s a superstar and a transcendent talent, when healthy, but she is also just very quiet and boring. Absolutely nothing wrong with that but there’s just no “sizzle.”

When they announced there would be a season she was the first person I assumed would try to opt out. i don’t discount the health concerns but if I had to speculate I’d guess that the idea of being away from home and isolated for so long is the true motivation here. Again, nothing wrong with that and I understand and relate fully. Sucks for her that the doctor’s don’t agree on a medical exemption but such are the rules. if she wants to sit out she won’t get paid and I think that is perfectly reasonable. So many other players are sacrificing for the league and for the game she should not be given special treatment just because she is a star and a MVP.
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I personally have no opinion nor interest in Elena's home-life, living conditions or whether or not she plays in Europe...But I have followed her since she took up basketball in Delaware and have been fascinated by her hoops prowess. And that interest remains to this day...a unique talent.

I also fear for anyone with a chronic condition that increases their risk of serious illness...and that includes Elena, Izzy and Lauren...I just wish that all three would just shelve the season.

What we really don't need is another tragedy. All athletes, of both sexes are competitive and want to get out there and play...Some just shouldn't.
 
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KnightBridgeAZ said:
Exactly true.

My wife has had an auto-immune issue, so she was also shocked by the decision, although her own issue with Covid is the immunosuppression due to the liver transplant necessitated by her initial illness. I think EDD and her doctor are going to err on the side of extra caution in their opinions of Covid, having had the bad experiences.

And to an earlier remark about mental and physical, yes, that is very true. My wife has remained depressed for over a year, combined with mental fog that is also typical of her illness. While an aggressive attempt to treat her depression might be in order, she hasn't been up to that effort either. It can be a vicious circle.
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I'm really sorry to hear about your wife's struggles. Of course, her struggles are also yours, as her spouse. Just rooting for both of you. I have immunosuppression issues as well, so Covid-19 strikes fear in me. I don't think younger people and those without key vulnerabilities can fathom how frightening this is to someone for whom it could be a death sentence. EDD is clearly scared, and with good reason, given her doctor's response. That's why I say that the league and its doctors should err on the side of caution- and kindness- when deciding who gets to opt out.

Hang in there. We're rooting for you!!!
 
A good write-up by EDD on the decision. I’m glad, at the very least, this has been a wake-up that she needs to talk about Lyme disease.

My only complaint is that she says she’s being asked to choose between her life and a paycheck and, while that sucks, there are teachers all over the country who are being asked to do the same thing right now and don’t have endorsements to fall back on. She mentions others are in the same situation at the end, but she already lost me.

www.theplayerstribune.com

An Open Letter About My Health | By Elena Delle Donne

It’s way past time for me to take a more public role in the battle against Lyme disease — a battle that I’ve been fighting mostly privately for years.
www.theplayerstribune.com www.theplayerstribune.com
 
EdSaid said:
The twin baby girls are forever. Baseball is not. Buster is already set for life. Good head on his shoulders.

Buster was not a catcher to begin his career at FL State. He became a catcher to help the team and he worked hard at.
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He won’t be paid.
 
She misses half the season with some type of something every season. She wants to be home. UConn and Chicago are signs. I don’t believe her. Sorry not sorry.
 
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I feel sorry for Elena...she clearly suffers from some condition. But it isn't chronic Lyme disease. That condition does not exist!
 
Delle Donne has every right to opt out, that is completely her decision, I just could have done without the self-pity and dramatics. Do WNBA players make anywhere near as much as their male counterparts? No, but they make a damn good living for playing 34 games, Delle Donne also makes a ton in endorsements! There are 20 million out of work Americans right now that would give ANYTHING to make what she makes in a season! These are unprecedented times for EVERYBODY, the woe is me bit is tiresome.
 
soxfan23 said:
Delle Donne has every right to opt out, that is completely her decision, I just could have done without the self-pity and dramatics. Do WNBA players make anywhere near as much as their male counterparts? No, but they make a damn good living for playing 34 games, Delle Donne also makes a ton in endorsements! There are 20 million out of work Americans right now that would give ANYTHING to make what she makes in a season! These are unprecedented times for EVERYBODY, the woe is me bit is tiresome.
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Me as well , she needs to make a decision and quit blaming the WNBA . They have made their decision now you control what you can control . If she wants to play as bad as she claims ......
 
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So, in the interest of accuracy I took a quick peek at EDD's career stats. This is the number of games she has played by season: 30, 16, 31, 28, 25, 29 and 31. Not even slightly close to missing half of every season. Ridiculous hyperbole. Quite a few UConn alums have missed a bunch of games due to injuries or just opting to sit out. I kinda think there is a collective grudge against EDD for leaving UConn that some have been harboring for a long, long time.
 
nwhoopfan said:
I kinda think there is a collective grudge against EDD for leaving UConn that some have been harboring for a long, long time.
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Ya kinda think? Are you new around these parts?

What exactly is a "collective grudge?"
 
UConnCat said:
Ya kinda think? Are you new around these parts?

What exactly is a "collective grudge?"
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That's really not the relevant part of what I posted.
 
Waquoit said:
Meh, everyone has herniated discs.
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Waquoit, sorry but I have to call you out on this one. I had a disc go on me thirty years ago and part of it went into the sciatic nerve. I've got to say that I thought I knew what pain was but I really didn't. Like many other people I used to have someone tell me they had back problems and I'd just nod and say "Really". After that I knew what they were talking about and believe me, was much more empathetic.
 
UConnCat said:
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Seriously? That "panel" ignored the considered medical opinion of her personal doctor. That "panel" never bothered to interview her, or for that matter, doesn't appear to have included any Lyme Disease specialists. this smells of a decision that was heavily influenced by a desire to get as many warm bodies out on the court as possible.

EDD's letter is compelling and devastating. As I mentioned before, this makes the league look cruel. And it probably is.
 
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