Dickie Betts is in the hospital with a brain injury; surgery Friday.  Here's the story on his webpage.


Peter

Thanks for letting us know.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune quotes Dickie's manager as saying today's surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain was "a success".  On the one hand, my youngest had the same surgery 12 years ago, and he's mostly fine, so that's a good sign.
On the other hand, he was 21, not 74.......

Peter (who's keeping his fingers crossed)

From the story, sounds like he got a subdural hematoma. Believe it or not...it's actually better that it happens in a 74 year old brain. At that age, there's typically some associated atrophy with subsequent enlargement of the extra-axial (brain) space. So if there is a collection of blood secondary to trauma, there's more room for it in an elderly brain with less mass effect and pressure on the subjacent brain itself. Not that these things are good at any age. But all things considered...

Scary stuff. Hope he comes through this okay.

Thank you, Dr. Levine.  You learn something here every day!

Peter

According to dickiebetts.com, he's "Off the respirator and doing great! Talking, laughing and, of course, complaining!"

Peter

   

Well, that is fantastic news.