Basketball and me

Basketball has long been my measuring stick for how my disease was affecting my game.

And no, I don’t mean that I make up a little game and say to myself if I can make 5, 3-pointers in a row I am cured.

But I did keep close tabs on how Lewy was affecting the various skills that basketball requires. Eye-hand coordination, stamina, and lateral movement. Could I still hit from long distance without too much overcompensation for lost strength? Could I still dribble drive around someone?

Notice how I am writing this, in the past tense. I ‘did’ keep tabs: That’s because sometime in April I made the call to take me out of the game — to quit my Old Man Hoops league playing in a full court run in a church gym in Irondale.

Since the 2016 diagnosis of Lewy body dementia, it was a slow but steady ride down. I could have easily discounted the changes to age — I was the oldest player out there. I am currently 62. I so want to dunk on Lewy.

But Lewy is a master of defense. There is no cure.

In the early years post diagnosis, 2016-2018, I noticed little deterioration in my game. In the middle years 2019-2020 I found my shot was short. and I got winded easier. I sucked it up and created a slogan “Step Up” to remind myself to take a step or two closer than 3-point land. It worked well enough to make me think I could still contribute.

But, alas, as the leaves turned colors and died at winter’s entrance late last year, it was abundantly clear I could no longer play.

I think I tried playing in March or April, and it firmed up my decision.

Now I’m into new challenges like buttoning a shirt, writing on the computer, tying my shoes.

The disease is similar to Parkinson’s disease in which proteins produced by the body form in the brain. The proteins over time kill off enough of the 100 billion brain cells (or neurons) in the average human brain as to be debilitating and ultimately fatal.

This brings me to really the most important reason for writing this. We are having our Lewy body fund-raising 3X3 MikeMadness basketball tournament this coming Saturday (Aug. 20) at UAB Recreation Center starting at 9 a.m. To find out how to register and about the after party at Cahaba Brewing go to MikeMadness.org

This will be our fourth MikeMadness since 2017; Covid knocked us out for 2020 and 2021. We’ve raised about $40,000 for research at UAB and and the Lewy Body Dementia Association, (LDBA.org) Also, see www.myvinylcountdown.com