Fridays with Mac: "Fight to the Finish"

Guess what? There's another twist on the ever-growing heartwarming moments manifesting in the life of a 65-year-old knucklehead determined to fight back against an incurable, rare and devastating bone marrow disease, “Amyloidosis.”

Your scribe has mentioned, briefly, in previous musings about the joy of hearing from dudes from my athletic past. Plenty of teammates from football, basketball and baseball, including a recent reunion of a football team at Raytown South. In the fall of 1974 an overachieving clan ran the table - I was a junior - in the regular season of Missouri’s highest prep classification, rose to #1 in the state, advanced to the state semifinals only to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against a superior-talented team that sent five guys on to play collegiately and professionally. The Ray-South Cardinals that year were an amazing team. A season none of us will ever forget.

I was blessed to excel in three sports before freakish injuries to the head and upper left body area ended an athletic career with much promise. It was February 1976 (senior year) in a basketball game, days after signing a letter of intent to play football and baseball at Mizzou and a few months before being, projected, an early-round selection in the amateur professional baseball draft as an outfielder. What happened? This ol’ jock was poked in the eye, led to a rapid drop in blood pressure, fainting and crashing to a rubber basketball floor that was concrete hard. Skull fracture. Concussion. Shattered cochlear bones, rotator cuff injury and deafness in left ear. Competitive career? Over in a flash and poke in the eye.

What the hell does this have to do with battling Amyloidosis? What does this have to do with dedicating the rest of life to raise awareness for an earlier detection. Also, pushing for continued innovations in dialysis treatments for fellow voyagers on this journey with serious kidney issues, whether Amyloidosis-related or not?

A former quarterback, point guard and centerfielder who absolutely loved to compete against others has been hearing from former opponents. Yep, The athletes who were just as determined to win the battles with Raytown South on the gridiron, court or diamond. “Mac, you were a fierce competitor then, bring that same “can do” spirit to this tussle with Amyloidosis!” I can’t begin to describe - it brings me to tears - knowing once respected rivals, like Tim Thompson (below) recall the spirit I brought to athletic competition almost 50 years ago. Wow. They’re making time to reach out and encourage me to persevere against a tough and nasty opponent.

Mutual respect for one another. Powerful. It’s how this dude looks at Amyloidosis. It wins many battles. We have to arrest Amyloidosis, NOW! My peanut-sized cranium shifts back into preparation mode from yesteryear and all those years of competing against excellent athletes and teams but emerging from battle more often victorious than defeated. Compete. It was built into my DNA from an early age through athletics to “Work hard, play well with others and persevere.” Fundamentals to success in sports, life and everything else in between.

Thanks to all the folks, many of you included, encouraging me to persevere, study the opponent and seek new thought (clinical trials) in the field of Amyloidosis and kidney disease. Last but not least, also summon the “Mac” of long ago athletic prowess being acknowledged by respected rivals imploring a one-time nemesis to fight to the finish in the quest to achieve victory. Losing ain’t fun.

Perhaps the message from this moment is, “We all have our stuff.” Challenges with our health, relationships, jobs and communities. Fight to the finish. I pray fellow Amyloidosis and kidney disease patients have similar support. You too for battles against serious obstacles. We need one another’s support against the foes trying to destroy us.