Mogglez Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 MY STORY In September of 2015, I started feeling weakness in my left hand. I was mildly paying attention to it because since my playing days, I’ve constantly had pain in my neck. I was thinking it was related to some kind of nerve damage because it would just come and go. After months of tests and treatment, I got some bad news. I was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. I have ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Those words are still very hard for me to say. While I’m still trying to wrap my head around the challenge I will face with this disease over the coming years, the only thing I know is that I’m going to fight like hell and live every day to the fullest. There is no test that will positively diagnose you with ALS. You have to eliminate the possibility of all other diseases and disorders and then wait to see what additional symptoms you develop. I visited six neurologists and three ALS specialists. I also was treated for a B12 deficiency, which sometimes can mirror the symptoms of this debilitating disease. In addition to losing strength in my left hand – which makes opening a pack of sugar or buttoning my shirt impossible – I have now experienced weakness in my right hand, abs, lower back and right leg. I can’t run, play golf or walk any distances. Picking up anything over 30 pounds is a chore. The one piece of good news is that the disease seems to be progressing more slowly than in some patients. I’ve been asked if playing football caused this. I don’t know for sure. But I certainly suspect it did. And I encourage the NFLPA and the NFL to continue working together in their efforts to make the game of football safer, especially as it relates to head trauma. What I do know is I have a huge battle in front of me and I’m grateful for the strength and unconditional love from my wife Kelly. She has been my rock. She keeps thinking positive and convinces me each day that we can beat this, as does my daughter Casey and my son Mac. My brother Jeff, his wife Debra and their family also have been unwavering with their love and support. I get the same pep talk from the Boss, Eddie D. His support has been incredible. So rest assured, I know I’m not alone in this fight. Every single one of my 49ers teammates that has contacted me has said whatever I need, anytime I need it, they will help. That’s just the kind of guys they are. They were so giving as players and now they are the same as friends. I can’t thank my teammates and friends enough for their support. Mr. D always treated us like family and that family is still together. I also want to thank all the great 49ers fans. Your support over the last 35 years has allowed me to remain connected to you. Rarely does a day go by when I’m not asked about ‘the Catch,’ when we were able to get past the Cowboys and go on to win our first Super Bowl. I’m not having a press conference or doing any interviews. That time will come. Right now, I’ve got work to do. I’ve got to devote all my energy preparing for this battle and I would hope you can respect my family’s privacy as I begin this challenge. My ultimate hope is that eventually I can assist in finding a cure for ALS, which disrupts the lives of so many and their loved ones. Sincerely, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogglez Posted March 20, 2017 Author Share Posted March 20, 2017 Unreal. I work in health care and know exactly what that disease does to strong and wonderful people. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Best of luck Dwight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetophile Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 ALS has nothing to do with getting banged around and thrown on the ground. It's the luck of the draw. Family friend went from virile to vegetable/dead in 18 mos. They'll never find a cure, partly because it's too diffuse. Brain disease is the number one killer, don't let statistics fool you. It just doesn't figure into the lexicon of heart disease and cancer (other than brain cancer), and is often seen as a comorbidity when it's really the cause. Don't get me started on the drug industry in this country. Yes, saved untold countless amount of lives, but I could write 20 books on Eli-Lilly. Reagan, who I happen to like for the most part, allowed drugs to be advertised on TV, and the rest is highly unpleasant history and rape of our generically melancholic public. To anyone who takes anti-depressants for feeling low when it's just a part of life, get off and never go back. Deep sorrow with your lifeblood spilling through your fingers into the street is totally OK. It's called being alive. My childhood friend blew her head off on Prozac. She kept calling her Dr. and said that she felt left of center. "I feel angry. I don't feel like I'm in my body. I don't feel right." What I was told, she was advised to keep taking it, and she did. She slept for a week, didn't sleep at all after that, shoved a pistol in the roof of her mouth and aimed high. Brutal. What rankles me the most is that there are no independent studies - totally independent studies - about the long term effects of continuous use of anti-depressants. Brain shrinkage and detachment from skull cavity for one. Anyway, you'll never hear about it. Keep popping those Wellbutrins when you could just get some serious balls and stop smoking without an aide. That sh*t is called rebranding, and now there's a lose weight thing with Naltrexone/Wellburtin nonsense. Just stop fukking eating. Pretty simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Terrible news. Stay strong Dwight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Harris Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Highly doubt football is the cause. that said I'd literally end my life before als got too bad. I mean it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewilly12 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Damn that sucks wish him well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirorob Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 #1, that is awful. I would not wish that on anyone. Sadly, I don't think that it is caused by football. It's just getting the losing lottery ticket. It is horrible, and I'm not trying to make light of his situation, but it's not like ex players have a massive spike in ALS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirorob Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 2 hours ago, jetophile said: ALS has nothing to do with getting banged around and thrown on the ground. It's the luck of the draw. Family friend went from virile to vegetable/dead in 18 mos. They'll never find a cure, partly because it's too diffuse. Brain disease is the number one killer, don't let statistics fool you. It just doesn't figure into the lexicon of heart disease and cancer (other than brain cancer), and is often seen as a comorbidity when it's really the cause. Don't get me started on the drug industry in this country. Yes, saved untold countless amount of lives, but I could write 20 books on Eli-Lilly. Reagan, who I happen to like for the most part, allowed drugs to be advertised on TV, and the rest is highly unpleasant history and rape of our generically melancholic public. To anyone who takes anti-depressants for feeling low when it's just a part of life, get off and never go back. Deep sorrow with your lifeblood spilling through your fingers into the street is totally OK. It's called being alive. My childhood friend blew her head off on Prozac. She kept calling her Dr. and said that she felt left of center. "I feel angry. I don't feel like I'm in my body. I don't feel right." What I was told, she was advised to keep taking it, and she did. She slept for a week, didn't sleep at all after that, shoved a pistol in the roof of her mouth and aimed high. Brutal. What rankles me the most is that there are no independent studies - totally independent studies - about the long term effects of continuous use of anti-depressants. Brain shrinkage and detachment from skull cavity for one. Anyway, you'll never hear about it. Keep popping those Wellbutrins when you could just get some serious balls and stop smoking without an aide. That sh*t is called rebranding, and now there's a lose weight thing with Naltrexone/Wellburtin nonsense. Just stop fukking eating. Pretty simple. This here, 100% the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crusher Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Horrible news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfield Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Horrible news. But I doubt it is ALS. Much more likely that these people have something that looks very similar, may act very similar, but is much more in line with CTE. Being the husband of someone who has Autoimmune encphalitis/encephalopathy, you could (and doctors often do to) easily get the diagnosis wrong. For many years people with diseases like AntiNMDA Receptor Encephalitis were thought to have Multiple Sclerosis or Lupus because the symptoms were similar and they didn't yet know how to identify AntiNMDA RE. My bet is the same thing is going on with CTE. They really don't understand it yet. At this point experts are even questioning whether Gehrig had ALS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetophile Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 The thing that makes me laugh the most is the fact that anti-depressants prevent suicide. "If you have suicidal thoughts, please call your Dr." Errmmph, the drugs are why you're on the suicide prevention line. Oh, God, I'm sounding Tom Cruizish and have to scrub myself with SOS steel wool pads and hose myself off with gasoline. Zyprexa visited upon the elderly and children, fines won't ever matter. Anyway, I wish Dwight well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointman Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckkieB Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Sad news. I had the Sports Illustrated cover depicting "The Catch" hanging on my wall when i was a kid. Hang in there, Dwight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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