After his December episode, Denver cardiologist Dr. Barry Molk decided to drastically decrease Tracy’s meds - and it turned out to be the right move. He has more energy than he has in some time. He no longer is on the diuretic.
“I’m doing better than I was doing physically at any point during the course of the 2010 season,” Tracy said in a phone interview. “I just didn’t need as much medicine. And I needed that little tap on the shoulder from upstairs that I needed to go in for a little tuneup.”
I think the scariest part of all of this are Tracy’s comments that he kept his health issues -- including several previous fainting spells and high blood pressure -- secret because he “didn’t want them to think I was losing my edge.” With the “them” clearly meaning his bosses in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Colorado. Which, on some level I understand. But man, we only get one life. If you have a job where attention to your health is a weakness, find something else to do.
Glad to hear that Tracy has changed his mind about all of that. Even more glad that he’s gotten on a program that helps him out and has him feeling better. And while one’s health isn’t anyone else’s business,* I’m glad Tracy has gone public with this, because there’s no doubt others in and around baseball who are hiding their own health problems who may decide to take better care of themselves in light of Tracy’s example.
That is, unless you’ve been dead for 70 years and your family doesn’t object.
