Disaster struck just prior to the 1990-91 season. He suffered swollen feet, hands and forearm, shortness of breath and overwhelming fatigue last September after taking L-tryptophan, an amino acid. The supplement caused the player to develop eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS), a white blood disease that impairs the functioning of the nerve and muscular systems.
Fitzpatrick essentially missed two full seasons battling the disease. Doctors tried battling the illness with Predisone, but that led to side effects such as mood swings that threatened his personal life. Fitzpatrick would sue the supplement company for $180 million dollars. I don't know how much he did settle for, but I'm told it was significant amount of money.
You can read the full Mark Fitzpatrick biography, including my own connection to the man they called "Fitzy."
No comments:
Post a Comment