Brent Boyd: The Concussions that Never Were
Like George Visger, Brent Boyd recently had another near-miss with concussion-related issues over this past weekend. Many of you may have been wondering why you haven’t heard much from Brent recently. He’s had not one – but five! – close brushes with death since knee surgery in 2006. Brent is now quietly recovering at home from his latest close call. And still no full disability benefits for Brent from the NFL! We finally heard from him this morning:
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In the past few years, I’ve been on the CRITICAL list FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES – a lung embolism, loss of blood pressure near death 50-60′s/30-40′s), massive total kidney failure and a twisted colon (colonic volvulus). It’s extremely life-threatening as your colon knots up and expands like a bubble in that spot, thinning the colon. Even the slightest tap could burst the bubble and then your abdominal cavity is flooded with feces and toxins and you’re instantly dead from Pepsis. These were four different ‘critical conditions’ four days in a row for four different reasons! “Fortunately,” all this happened while I was in the hospital — I was fine for 3 days following a knee replacement back in 2006 when I suddenly stopped breathing, starting this chain of events.
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The doctors said they screwed up because the drugs they were giving me were not working DUE TO ORGANIC BRAIN DAMAGE! Do you know how angry I was to hear that — to know the stress on my wife, my Mom and my son on each of the four days they were told to prepare themselves as I could die from the condition of the day?
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And all the while, I just couldn’t stop hearing those words the NFL & Dr. Gordon used to beat me in court: “…concussions COULD NOT be responsible for headaches, fatigue, dizziness or any other long term damage.”
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And there I was, potentially dying 4 straight days in a row for 4 different reasons — but all connected by the common thread that my concussions were the underlying cause for each malady.
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Then, I was back in the hospital again this weekend for my fifth near-miss: We had finished dinner Saturday evening, cleaned the kitchen and I had some energy so I thought we could take our dogs for a walk. We have a “loop” course that we usually walk — I was absolutely 100% fine before going and made it through the first half of the walk — then it hit me like I’d been shot! I fell and hit my head on the sidewalk but managed to get back up to take a few steps trying hard to keep my balance. I stumbled into the middle of the street before I took a HARD fall — and subsequent attempts to get up and out of the street only caused more humiliating falls (not to mention asphalt cuts!). I finally made it to the sidewalk and just sat there while my wife ran home to get our car. I am now bandaged up almost head-to-toe from the cuts and scrapes. I’m having killer headaches and constant nausea.
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Boy, am I ever LUCKY that the NFL decreed that concussions COULD NOT have caused any long-term damage — they wouldn’t lie, would they?
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Here’s my Facebook post from when I finally got home last =night…
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BOYD HOSPITALIZED FOR STROKE SYMPTOMS
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Facebook post from Brent Boyd – Aug.22,2010
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“I just got home from hospital – I had symptoms of a stroke, but did NOT have one. It’s very possible - even likely – the doctors said, that my NFL concussion damage mimicked stroke symptoms. Perhaps we’ll never know – but it’s times like this when I am most infuriated w/NFL for still swearing under oath in US Court – “concussions COULD NOT cause headaches or any other long-term effects.”
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love to all,
a very tired Brent”
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Dave Pear
August 23rd, 2010 at 9:32 am #
Brent,
We all wish you the best.
NFL quack DR. “NO” claimed there is no scientific evidence that repeated blows to the head cause brain damage or early onset dementia as he spoke during the judicial hearings last year. Recently, MLB’s Roger Clemens was charged with perjury for openly lying before a Congressional hearing. We can only hope that those who also lied so blatantly about concussions in the NFL in front of Congress will soon get indicted for perjury as well! That would be a good day on Capitol Hill!
Question for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: What happened to the NFL’s Dr. “NO”?
So why is the NFL now posting warning posters in EVERY NFL locker room about the real dangers of getting hit in the head? One hit to the head can cause a serious life-threatening and life-changing brain injury. Gee – Was Dr. “NO” not being honest in his testimony? Is he still on the NFL payroll? Is he still a member of the “MILD” Traumatic Brain Injury Committee? (Oh, I forgot! The new name is officially “Head, Neck & Spine Committee”?)
When will retired players and their families receive justice and restitution? They keep wishing that we’ll all die one-by-one and go away but for every one of us that passes away without justice, two more retired players will be stepping in to take his place. We don’t plan on going away.
Dave & Heidi Pear
George Visger
August 31st, 2010 at 9:03 am #
Brent,
Hang in there, brother. There’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Dr. Ellenbogen. After surviving 9 NFL Caused Emergency VP Shunt Brain surgeries, given last rites during brain surgeries # 2 and # 3 just 4 months after we won Super Bowl XVI, then having multiple gran mal seizures in addition to 6 more emergency brain surgeries, I think I can relate to what you’ve been through!
Ellenbogen seems to be the real deal. He recently asked me to draft rule changes I would like to see to better protect players heads, and he convened a meeting shortly after with the NFL Rules Committee to discuss. One of the first steps is the poster now hanging in ALL NFL locker rooms, stating concussions are bad for your health.
The tide is shifting for the NFL, and we finally have a true professional and advocate for players’ health. Ellenbogen stated he wants to “Change The Culture Of Football,” and after speaking with him several times I truly believe that is his mission.
What the NFL has done for years is nothing short of criminal, and we need to keep the pressure on that rat Dr. NO Casson until he is flushed from the hole he’s hiding in. Especially if it’s a hole the NFL has provided for him. If that’s the case, than we need to keep the pressure on the criminal NFL for putting their “Employees” in situations they KNOW will damage their health forever. Where is the liability? There must be some attorney with enough male organs to decide to take on this case. (Hey, isn’t De Smith an attorney??? Sorry – never mind.)
If Roger Clemens can be called out for lying to a Congressional Hearing about his own actions, where in the hell is the Congressional Committee investigating the lies Dr. No spewed during his interviews? Here is a so-called professional (I question his knowledge, as even a brain-damaged individual like myself can correlate repeated head trauma to long-term cognitive declines) who supposedly represented the NFL players for 23 years lying about his knowledge of brain trauma.
I pray you – and all our other countless damaged NFL brothers and their families – live long enough to see justice to this immoral travesty we have all been through. All in the name of sport and entertainment.
George Visger
Brain Damaged Wildlife Biologist/Motivational Speaker
Visger & Associates Environmental Consulting
San Francisco 49ers
1980 & 1981
Survivor of 9 NFL Caused Emergency VP Shunt Brain Surgeries
Benefactor of ZERO NFL Benefits