Had kind of an Emily Litella moment last night while posting the sports section. A note at the end of the story on the Phillies game said that Colorado first baseman Todd Helton, recently hospitalized with abdominal pain, had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
That was stunning news — here's a guy, 33 years old, in perfect physical health. One day he's leading all active players in career batting average and the next day he's in the hospital and he's terminal. It makes you think how fragile life is, how little time any of us has, how very much less time each of us has than we may think.
I said a quick prayer for Helton, his family, his teammates and then, still a bit bowled over by the news, I googled the disease that had struck down this athlete dying young: "terminal ileitis."
Oh.
It seems the "terminal" in "terminal ileitis" refers to the fact that it is an inflammation of the end, or terminus, of the small intestine. Helton was released from the hospital and placed on the 15-day DL.
So as for all that stuff about the fleeting fragility of human life, um. Nevermind.
P.S. Here's wishing Mr. Helton a speedy recovery.
P.P.S. Since we're somewhat on the subject of baseball … 14-7 baby! Woo-hoo!
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