Delle Donne denied medical opt-out by WNBA

[Fairfield Fan]

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?

Reread the quote from Dr. John Aucott, the director of Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center.

I suspect that the panel's opinion was weighted toward what the league wanted them to conclude. It's not as if team doctors aren't in the business of putting kids back on the playing field or the court who should be kept off. Think of Britney Hunter at Duke. Permanently injured because she wasn't kept out of practice, and off the court.

 

[eebmg]

and again, a reminder that Tina Charles is also applying for Medical Waiver although no details are given.

 

[UConnCat]

Reread the quote from Dr. John Aucott, the director of Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center.

I suspect that the panel's opinion was weighted toward what the league wanted them to conclude. It's not as if team doctors aren't in the business of putting kids back on the playing field or the court who should be kept off. Think of Britney Hunter at Duke. Permanently injured because she wasn't kept out of practice, and off the court.

This was the process that the parties agreed to. The players's union and the league agreed that opt-out decisions were to be based on medicine, not PR. I'm not offering an opinion on the merits of the decision as I don't know anything about lyme disease.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

This was the process that the parties agreed to. The players's union and the league agreed that opt-out decisions were to be based on medicine, not PR. I'm not offering an opinion on the merits of the decision as I don't know anything about lyme disease.

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.

 

[Boreifs]

EDD has always been more about not playing anyway.

You obviously never met someone with the disease. Incredibly cheap shot; those who liked this are just as guilty.

 

[MSGRET]

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?

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.

 

[UConnCat]

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.

Your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps some journalist covering the WNBA can direct these questions to the WNBA president.

 

[msf22b]

Have you?

I have 2 or 3
(the query is about who has herniated discs)

 

[EdSaid]

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.

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.

 

[HopJim]

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.

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

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.

 

[tower1]

EDD has always been more about not playing anyway.

I agree !

 

[JellyBean]

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.

 

[bballnut90]

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.

 

[Cedar]

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.

 

[RPM101370]

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.

 

[MilfordHusky]

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.

Best wishes to Elena, Izzy, and Lauren. I hope they all can stay very safe!

 

[msf22b]

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.

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.

 

[Lawrence]

WNBA needs to rethink this one...

 

[Fairfield Fan]

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.

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!!!

 

[Argonaut]

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.

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

 

[VA Huskie]

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.

He won’t be paid.

 

[lebronfan23]

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.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[UConnCat]

So she won't have to choose?

 

[UConnCat]