Startling realization
Bruschi said he prefers to keep the names of the physicians who attended to him private, but he was willing to describe a harrowing five days in which the high of his third Super Bowl victory and his first Pro Bowl appearance quickly evaporated as he and his wife, Heidi, dealt with a medical crisis that blindsided them.

Bruschi had been home a day and a half from Hawaii when he woke up around 4 a.m. experiencing numbness in both his left arm and his left leg.

''I woke up with sort of a pain in the back of my neck," he explained. ''I sat up in bed and the left side of my arm and my leg felt funny. There was some numbness, almost like a loss of control, so I got up and used the restroom."

As Bruschi tried to stand up, he lost his balance and had to grab hold of the side of the bed. Heidi woke up and asked what was wrong.

''I sort of limped to the restroom, then came back and we talked about it for a little bit," Bruschi said. ''I had a headache. I was uncomfortable, but we decided just to go back to sleep. You've got to remember, I've woken up with pain plenty of times before. Lots of times I've moaned and groaned and gotten out of bed, shaken off the pain, then gone back to sleep. We figured this was the same sort of thing."

Heidi let her husband rest until around 10, then went back into the bedroom to check on him.

''I woke up with the same numbness," Bruschi said. ''At that point I'm thinking, 'I wonder what's wrong? I've never felt this way before.' "

Heidi made two calls: one to Patriots head trainer Jim Whalen, and the other to her father, who is a physician's assistant. After hearing Bruschi's symptoms, each urged Heidi to drive him to Mass. General for an examination.

''But even then I was saying, 'I don't know if I need to go,' " Bruschi said. ''I was thinking it was something that could possibly pass. I didn't have a tremendous amount of pain."

It wasn't until his 5-year old son, Tedy Jr., scampered into the room that the linebacker realized the severity of his condition.

''TJ came in from my left," Bruschi said. ''I heard him, but I didn't see him. I didn't see him until he popped up on the right side of my field of vision and said, 'Good morning, Daddy.'

''That's when I got scared. I told Heidi, 'Call 911.' "

Heidi's composed phone conversation with the paramedics has been replayed coast to coast on numerous newscasts. But her calm demeanor masked the panic she was feeling as she described her husband's symptoms, including erroneously reporting the numbness was on his right side. ''It's the only mistake she's made during this whole deal," Bruschi cracked.

The next call was to a close friend who offered to come and watch their three boys, all under age 6.

''The baby, Dante, was only about 8 weeks old," Heidi said. ''I was still nursing him. I was wondering, 'Should I leave the baby here? Should I take him with us?' My friend finally said, 'I've got formula. Leave him here. Just go.' "

As their mother fought back tears, young TJ and Rex followed their father out to the ambulance and kissed him goodbye. Within minutes, the Bruschis were en route to Mass. General, with the paramedics already having identified him as a probable stroke victim.

Bruschi was whisked into the emergency room, where a CAT scan was administered.

''Within minutes of the CAT scan, the doctor came out, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, 'You've had a mild stroke,' " Bruschi recalled. ''I said, 'What?' I was in disbelief. It was a total shock to me."

Because Bruschi had delayed reporting his symptoms so long, he said, it was too late for the doctors to attempt to break up the clot.

''The thing that people don't understand is you have three hours once you think you are experiencing a stroke to do something about it," Bruschi said. ''If you can get to the hospital right away, you can get a clot-busting drug that could save your life.

''That's one of the reasons I'm talking about this publicly. I want people to realize if they have headaches or numbness, especially on one side, along with dizziness, loss of balance, or maybe even slurring of your words, you are having a stroke.

''Don't do what I did. Don't go back to sleep. Get to the hospital as quickly as possible."

If Bruschi had gone to the hospital when he first experienced the numbness, would his stroke have been less invasive?

''We started talking about it the other night," Heidi said. ''But then we stopped. What's the point? We can't change what happened."

In the first 12 hours after Bruschi was admitted to the hospital, football was the furthest thing from his mind. His vision and his ability to walk had been severely compromised. The amount of damage he had incurred was still undetermined.

''I could have died," Bruschi said. ''The doctors told me that. If the clot was a couple of millimeters in a different direction, I might not be sitting here talking to you now. But it wasn't my time."

Healing begins
Bruschi spent three days at Mass. General. The first night, Whalen kept an around-the-clock vigil in his room. Bruschi awoke one morning to see Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his wife, Myra, by his bedside. Assistant trainer Dave Granito and vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli also visited.

He was released three days later with a horde of television cameras recording the moment. Bruschi smiled and waved, but appeared wan and unstable as Heidi led him to their car.

''I could still barely see and barely walk when I left the hospital," he said. ''I could walk better than what everyone saw [on television], but when that door opened and I saw everyone standing there, I grabbed Heidi and said, 'Make sure I don't fall.' "

Doctors monitored Bruschi closely over the next several weeks, making sure the clot dissipated and that there was no danger of an aneurysm. They waited until March to repair the hole in his heart because the procedure required putting him on a blood thinner, Coumadin, and they did not want to administer that until they were certain the clot had dissipated.

He began an intensive physical therapy program at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, where his initial goal was modest: walk without stumbling. Bruschi navigated orange cones, threw and caught a ball while perched on a balancing beam, and tottered around a sheet of plastic.

It was a humbling experience for an elite athlete, but if it discouraged him, Heidi said, he rarely showed it. He simply kept to the task at hand.

''I know this guy better than anybody," Heidi said. ''I know he's driven and motivated and goal-driven. But this was the biggest shock of our lives. His career was taken from him, his ability to see his kids was taken from him, but he never felt sorry for himself. He just said, 'OK, what do we do next?' I was impressed by that. I'm still impressed by that."

There were days, however, when Bruschi simply was not sure whether his life would ever regain any sense of normalcy. His vision loss was the most troubling of all the symptoms, and there was no rehabilitation for that. Only time would tell if he would completely regain his sight.

''My test was looking at the digital clock we had in the bedroom," he said. ''We had it set high so Heidi could keep track of baby Dante's feedings.

''I'd look at that clock and if it was 12:29, I only saw 2:29. It worried me. But, over time, I started seeing the bottom of the 1. Then I started seeing the top of the 1. To the immediate left of the 1 on the clock, there is a little signal for the battery. Once I could see that, I knew I was OK."

It took six weeks for his eyesight to be fully restored. It took slightly longer for him to resume his decidedly unorthodox gait. As for the emotional fallout of his brush with mortality, that is an ongoing project. Bruschi said he's grateful the Patriots have allowed him to heal in peace.

''The Patriots haven't put any pressure on me," Bruschi said. ''[Coach] Bill [Belichick] has been extremely supportive. He's told me, 'Whatever you decide, Tedy, we're fine with it.'

''They've left the entire process up to us. Honestly, early on I thought I was done. I can't see, I can barely walk. So I'm listening to my body and it's telling me, 'Tedy, you can't do this.' But now time has passed, and my body is saying, 'Tedy, you've got a shot.' "

courant.com | Tedy Just Might Be Ready

Bruschi Out On The Pats' Practice Field
(CBS4) FOXBORO Bruschi has been out on the practice field with the team for the past week-and-a-half. Because he is still on the “Physically Unable To Perform,” or “PUP” list, he can’t practice in a full practice, meaning drills, defensive team work or scout teams, but the rules do allow for him to be out there doing his own conditioning work while the team is practicing.
He can run, ride the bike, even work out in full pads. The goal, obviously, is for him to be as well conditioned as possible when he returns to the practice field.
We’ve known that he’s been around the team, in meetings, getting a playbook every week, but this is the first we’ve heard about Bruschi being on the practice field.
Two more important facts, Bruschi has the blessing of his wife, Heidi, as he prepares to return to practice. He also has been cleared to practice by several doctors who are “not” affiliated with the team.
Their opinion is that while Bruschi has a greater risk of suffering a stroke than his teammates, simply because he already has that history, that risk is not increased by playing football.
(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
http://cbs4boston.com/topstories/local_story_287164215.html
 

Bruschi will try to return
After checking with doctors, linebacker confirms bye week is perfect time
By Jackie MacMullan, Globe Staff | October 15, 2005

Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who has been sidelined since suffering a stroke Feb. 15, confirmed last night he will attempt to make a return to football this season, beginning with the team's bye week following tomorrow's game in Denver.

''I've quadruple-checked [with the doctors]," Bruschi said. ''And the bye week is the perfect time to see where we are."

Bruschi declined to elaborate on his change of heart to return sooner than he orginally planned, saying he will discuss his plans and his physical status with the media sometime next week.

In an exclusive interview with the Globe Sept. 1, Bruschi described in detail how he suffered a stroke in his home following his return from the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Bruschi awoke at 4 a.m. feeling numbness on his left side and a dull pain in his neck. He went back to sleep and awoke several hours later with the same symptoms, as well as unsteadiness and a loss of peripheral vision.

He was rushed by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was immediately diagnosed as a stroke victim. Bruschi said doctors believed the stroke was the result of a blood clot that traveled through a small hole in his heart. The harrowing ordeal initially left him without vision out of his left eye and unable to walk without assistance. Those frightening symptoms have long since subsided, and Bruschi declared himself fit during the September interview. Yet Bruschi also ruled out a return to football during the 2005 season, saying, ''I need time. I think I've healed faster physically than I have emotionally."

Asked at that juncture if he would entertain thoughts of a return this season, Bruschi said, ''I'm telling you right now that's not going to happen. I need to do what's best for my family and myself.

''There's a difference between living life normally and being fine and getting ready for a professional football season. I need the year to get myself ready."

Asked about those comments last night, Bruschi said simply, ''Things change. What I said at the time was 100 percent accurate."

As for reports Patriots owner Robert Kraft would not allow Bruschi to attempt a comeback this season, the linebacker said, ''I don't want to speak for Robert Kraft. All I can tell you is he has been 100 percent supportive from Day 1, and that hasn't changed."

Sources close to the Patriots and Bruschi said that while Kraft has concerns about Bruschi's decision to attempt to return this season, he has pledged his support for his player and has stressed the ultimate decision whether to play or not remains Bruschi's.

When Bruschi approached Kraft about returning sooner than planned, sources said, the Patriots' owner contacted a host of specialists throughout the country and made them available to Bruschi, in addition to the team's medical staff.

Said a source, ''Robert Kraft's concern here is for Tedy Bruschi the person, not Tedy Bruschi the football player. Having said that, he knows it's not his call. Only Tedy can determine his own outcome."

Kraft could not be reached for comment late last night.

Bruschi has been diligently training for months, doing agility work and strength training, but, he said last night, no contact drills with the team.

Although there are no guarantees how his body will respond to the trauma it has incurred, or how Bruschi's conditioning has been affected by his ordeal, the linebacker has been itching to return to a team that has struggled defensively because of a number of key injuries. The Patriots are 3-2 and have tried to make do without Bruschi, linebacker Ted Johnson (who abruptly retired just before the season started), safety Rodney Harrison (out for the year with a knee injury), Randall Gay, Tyrone Poole, and, most recently, defensive end Richard Seymour.

Bruschi was the heart and soul of a defense that won three Super Bowls in four years. His emotional presence in the locker room and his big-play abilities have been sorely missed.

During the Sept. 1 interview, Bruschi said his doctors ''could not find a reason why I couldn't play." Although the origin of the clot or the cause was never determined, Bruschi said he underwent a procedure in March to repair the small hole in his heart.

His rehabilitation included extensive physical therapy at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center in Boston, where he literally learned how to walk again. Bruschi, who was told he could have died, has since become a spokesman for the American Stroke Association in hopes of highlighting the need to get to a hospital as soon as stroke symptoms are identified.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick declined to comment during his regular media session yesterday on the possibility of Bruschi returning.

Bruschi will try to return - The Boston Globe

Bruschi push builds: LB pressing for swift return
By Karen Guregian
Saturday, October 15, 2005 - Updated: 08:13 AM EST

Rumors continue to swirl, and the momentum continues to build toward Tedy Bruschi making a return this season, just eight months after the 32-year-old linebacker suffered a mild stroke.

Bruschi, in fact, confirmed to the Globe last night what the Herald reported on Sept. 30 - that he will attempt to resume his career when he becomes eligible next week.

Amid all the talk, speculation, and conjecture, however, the bottom line hasn't changed. While an eager Bruschi is certainly angling for a swifter comeback than originally planned - one broadcast report yesterday had him already out on the practice field for the past week-and-a-half - there is still a ways to go before his wish becomes a reality.

While Bruschi has received encouraging medical reports, including a positive report from a specialist Robert Kraft requested he visit this week, it's not believed he's gotten has final medical clearance.

There are also other factors that still need to be addressed, namely all of the legal issues with regard to waivers, liability and insurance. That bridge has also not been crossed, as of yet.

When and if those concerns are satisfied will determine whether or not Bruschi dons his helmet and shoulder pads for real this season.

The Herald made a request yesterday to speak with the Patriots owner about the Bruschi situation. Kraft, however, was said to be unavailable for comment.

The Patriots linebacker and inspirational leader is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list after Week 6, which means Tuesday, not Monday as originally reported. That's when he can technically get back on the field and take part in full practice.

Under the guidelines of the PUP, Bruschi will have a three-week window in which to return to practice. Once he resumes practicing, the Patriots have 21 days to decide whether to put him on the active roster, or injured reserve.

``I see him working out in the weight room,'' said one Patriots player last night, who didn't wish to be identified, ``but I haven't seen him out on the field during practice. Not at all.''

Meanwhile, in Foxboro earlier in the day, coach Bill Belichick deferred all inquiries about Bruschi to the player himself.

``I've said all I have to say on the situation. If Tedy has anything to say, I'm sure he's perfectly capable of saying it himself,'' Belichick remarked during his daily press briefing. ``I have nothing to add to that situation whatsoever. Zero. Any comments should come from Tedy . . . nothing has changed from the last time I talked to you (the media) or any comments that I've made. Nothing has changed.''

Bruschi told the Globe that he would discuss his plans and physical status with the media sometime next week.

Bruschi's teammates voiced support, no matter if he returns this season, next season, or not at all.

``Any team could use any good player, and Tedy Bruschi is a good player, so if he wants to come back, that's great,'' Rosevelt Colvin said.
 

BostonHerald.com - N.E. Patriots: Bruschi push builds: LB pressing for swift return

Sunday, October 16, 2005
By CHRIS KENNEDY
ckennedy@repub.com

It was always a strange move, putting Tedy Bruschi on the physically unable to perform list rather than just injured reserve.

Red flags went up immediately, questions were asked. Why not just put the guy on injured reserve, which means he is done for the season? Why leave him on a list that defers a roster move for six to 12 weeks?

As often is the case in Foxboro, those questions were brushed aside or ignored.

Bruschi is about to provide all the answers. The New England Patriots linebacker is set to climb back through that window which was left open for him to return. The Boston Globe reported Bruschi himself confirmed he will attempt to resume his career later this week when he becomes eligible to do so.

Prior to the start of training camp, Bruschi said in a statement released through the team that he would not play in 2006 as he recovered from a minor stroke suffered last February. More recently, however, he has offered a no comment rather than a no when asked if he might return sooner.

Players who are unable to start training camp are often placed on the physically unable to perform list or PUP. They can be removed during training camp, but once the season starts, they must sit out the first six games before returning. The Patriots play their sixth game today at Denver and are off next week.

A return during the team's bye week allows Bruschi to ease back into the flow. It also allows the team to see where he stands after spending much of the last few months working out and attending defensive meetings. New England hosts Buffalo on Sunday, Oct.30.

Bruschi can actually reenter practice anytime over the next three weeks. Once he returns, he can practice for 21 days before the team must make some sort of decision on his future, either activating him to the 53-man roster or placing him on injured reserve. He cannot play in a game until he is activated to the 53-man roster.

The Patriots are 3-2 entering today's game and have struggled to overcome the losses of inside linebackers Bruschi and Ted Johnson, as well as defensive backs Ty Law and Rodney Harrison. They are averaging more than 27 points per game, about 11 more than last season.

Bruschi's ability to make the big play has been missed on a team which has made only one interception in five games after finishing last season with 20. He also played an important role on special teams, which might be a way for him to work his way back into game shape.
 

October 15, 2005
Bruschi Should Be Prudent And Not Proud
BY: Bob George/BosSports.net

DENVER -- Penny for Heidi Bruschi’s thoughts.

None of your business, Bob G. I knew that was coming. And that’s a good and proper way to put it. This whole thing is nobody’s business but Tedy Bruschi’s and his family’s.

Bruschi, slated to come off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Monday, plans to resume practicing with the team at that time. This story, which has been broken by several area columnists who try and claim exclusivity (which means the world to the authors but nothing to the rest of us; as long as you get the story, who cares who gives it to you first?), has provided a neat little sidebar to what should be a difficult test for the Patriots on Sunday at Invesco Field at Mile High here in Denver. With the 3-2 Patriots facing a stiff test against the 4-1 Denver Broncos, all everyone is talking about is the seemingly imminent return of the heart and soul of the Patriot defense, felled by a minor stroke in February shortly after the Pro Bowl in Honolulu

As this story has developed, some similarities have come out which compare it to Terrell Owens’s leg injury late in the 2004 regular season, an injury which nearly kept him out of Super Bowl XXXIX. The bottom line is that Bruschi, according to reports, has progressed at a faster rate than he thought, and the Patriot linebacker, who had once said that he would definitely not play until 2006, now wants to make a go of it in 2005.

What happens to Bruschi is not totally within his control. This column questioned the Philadelphia Eagles allowing Owens to play in the Super Bowl absent of doctor clearance. The opinion here was that if Owens suffered a debilitating, or even career-ending injury, Owens would sue the Eagles for permitting him to play even though he himself provided the impetus for him to play. The lawsuit would be based on recovery of potential lost wages, and the claim would be that the Eagles “should have ordered him not to play”.

This explains why Bob Kraft has consulted his legal services department for guidance in this matter. If Bruschi is allowed by the owner to play, Bruschi may have to sign a waiver indemnifying the team from any claims against them if Bruschi suffers any further injury or trauma related to his stroke. This is the sort of action the Eagles did not do regarding Owens, and fortunately (for the Eagles) Owens was not seriously injured in the 24-21 loss to the Patriots in the Super Bowl in February.

Furthermore, it has not been reported that Bruschi has received official clearance to resume playing or practicing. A Globe report on Saturday stops short of naming any doctor who will personally go on the record and say that Bruschi can resume normal activity. All the report says is that Bruschi “quadruple-checked” with his doctors, and that “the bye week (the Patriots have next weekend off) is the perfect time to see where we are”.

So, Heidi, if you would like my opinion, here it is. Tell hubby to wait until 2006.

When news of the stroke first broke, Patriot Nation gasped, worried and prayed. Not one single solitary soul said anything to the effect of “Oh, (expletive), there goes our season!” The first concerns were along the line of “He needs to be there for his family”, “He needs to preserve his quality of life”, and “No Super Bowl championship is more important than his life”. Those concerns remain unchanged.

Most fans out there will never understand what drives an NFL player. They don’t know the competitive fires that burn within each player, what drives them to play through adversity and pain and debilitation. They don’t know the players personally. All they see is what they see on the field, either live at the stadium or on their television. In this case, they see a linebacker who has risen to the heights of popularity because of his hard style of play, affectionately nicknamed “Full Tilt, Full Time”.

Simply stated, none of us are inside Bruschi’s head. Nobody will understand why Bruschi