My daughter's tennis coach:bad news.

[KlatooBNikto]

My daughter, who just entered high school takes tennis lessons from a coach who is from Sweden.My entire family with three boys and three other girls have taken lessons from him over a thirty year span.He is almost a family member to us.

For the past two weeks the coach has been listless and after returning from a short trip to his hometown in Sweden, told us that his mother,who is seventy five years old, has developed the Mad Cow Disease and is now in a terminal coma.

We are devastated for our coach and his family over here.His kindness to others,especially the children under his care,is legendary.

I am completely at a loss as to how in a society like Sweden,with its multiple safeguards against health problems, such a devastating disease can find its way into the food chain.

The coach tells us that the coma may actually be these best thing for his mother as she may not even feel any pain.

A sad day in our community.

[murielm99]

1. I am very sorry.

:grouphug:

[KlatooBNikto]

2. I am getting very concerned for our own health because the beef supply

in Sweden is very highly regulated and tested for indications of mad cow.With our lax monitoring, I have a feeling we may also see an increase in that disease at home, especially because there is a long
incubation period for the disease.

[CoffeeCat]

3. I am so sorry to hear about this...

I'm sure this is very difficult.

It sounds like your family is very connected to this tennis coach. I'm sure he's very special to you, since all of your children have been coached by him. It's hard to see these things happen to the people we care about.

I'm glad he has your family, and others in the community--to give him support when he needs it.

[put out]

4. How awful for all of you.

Jacob-Creutzfeldt disease can occur for reasons other than eating contaminated meat. Sometimes it is an unfortunate result of surgery, perhaps many years ago, maybe a genetic flaw, and sometimes no one knows why a person gets it.

But it stinks, all the same. She may not know anything now, but maybe she carries with her the memories of those who have loved her.

I hope your children are alright. Jacob-Creutzfeldt is a crummy disease.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. I am very sorry. :^( Perhaps she encountered the mad cow in Britain

while on holiday some time ago?

[KlatooBNikto]

7. That is possible.She is a very well traveled lady.

[LisaL]

6. This disease has a very long incubation period.

It's possible this poor woman got it before the safeguards were in place.

[KlatooBNikto]

8. That is very likely.