Elena Delle Donne of Washington said Wednesday that she expects her request to be medically exempted this season because of the impact of Lyme disease on her immune system from her position in the reigns of the WNBA MVP Was not impressed.
30-year-old Dale Donnen spoke on SportsCenter after writing about his position for The Players Tribune. He was asked whether he thought his status as one of the most prominent players in the league had any influence on the panel of physicians – who were appointed by the league and the players’ union – about the decision.
“I’m not sure, and I hope it wasn’t,” Dale Donne said. “I hope they treat me as ‘Player X’ and they will see that I have been treated for something for nine years. They have worked my blood; I have accumulated everything.”
“So I really hope that’s not what happened. I hope it’s still unaware of Lyme disease and there are doctors on that panel for not having Lyme-literate doctors, because I don’t want to believe what it is Has happened. Unfortunately, it can be what happened. “
Delle Donne said she is on a diet where she takes 64 pills per day.
“I know that taking too much medication every day probably doesn’t have much effect on my long-term health, but I love the game of basketball,” Dale Donne said. “I found a protocol that sometimes works for me and enables me to play. But I think I just have to be more open about my treatment, which I’ve been privy to. Because Medical things are not always open. But I think people deserve my honesty, and it is worth watching the fight that I pass to live a normal life, be alone on a basketball court. “
The WNBA has been playing regular short games since July 22, beginning July 25 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Some players have chosen concerns about the coronavirus epidemic, while others have done so to focus on social justice concerns. Players also had the option to apply for medical waivers based on their risk factors if they contracted coronovirus. If players are medically exempt, they receive their full salary for the season.
The 2018 MVP said Wednesday, “I considered him a high-risk player,” Seattle’s Brenna Stuart said Wednesday about Dale Donne’s position. “I hope the league and Elena can understand something, where she doesn’t have to be in an uncomfortable situation.”
Phoenix forward Jessica Breland is a player who has received an exemption – since she had Hodgkins lymphoma in college in North Carolina a decade ago. Dale Donen’s Mystics teammate Tina Charles is also seeking a medical waiver, but has not publicly announced whether she has received it.
Delle Donne also underwent surgery for three herniated discs in which she won the WNBA title to the Mystics last season. She said her concern over coronovirus was a major factor in how she has been living her life for the past several months.
“For nine years, I’ve been working with Lyme disease and other co-infections that have destroyed my immune system, and I’ve been compromising for years,” Dale Donne said. “When COVID has come around, and I saw that you have to be super careful if you’re immune-compromised, I’m that.
“I went through the process with the league submitting all my information. My doctor, who has been treating me for nine years, originally submitted a letter: It’s not safe for him. So when I got the call that I was. Refused, I was completely shocked. I didn’t really understand, and now it’s almost as if I’ve been told to ignore the doctor who heard me and is treating me, And enabling me to live a normal life. Protocol and treatment was on me for years. “
Delle Donne said she would continue to discuss the situation with her wife, Amanda, and would not be late in deciding whether she would play, now that she is not receiving medical waivers.
“Luckily, I’m privileged enough to be able to make a decision, and I know that through COVID there are a lot of people who have lost jobs, who are starving, who don’t have a choice as to whether Whether to go for your job or not, “Dale Donne said. “Now I am in a situation where I thank goodness … When you are not playing, it is not easy to lose the entire salary including endorsement.
“But I’m in a position where we can figure it out; we’ll find a way to push through letting go of not playing our game. So, we’ll see what happens. Maybe it’s good; maybe This is an awakening for me to speak more about Lyme disease, to fight for those who had been ignored for years, just about themselves. “
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