Gené and Tonic Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 From BBC News Legend Best fighting for his life Football legend George Best's condition has deteriorated and he is fighting for his life in intensive care. The ex-Manchester United and Northern Ireland star is seriously ill but stable, his consultant said. Best has a chest infection and internal bleeding but is "still fighting away", Professor Roger Williams said. The 59-year-old, who has spent three weeks in Cromwell Hospital in west London, had a liver transplant in 2002 after well-documented drink problems. His condition worsened significantly on Wednesday, but after a reasonable night he is stable in intensive care, Prof Williams said. He said the patient is being sedated while on a ventilator, but could be taken off it later on Thursday. Previously Best had been "fully aware" of the seriousness of the situation, Prof Williams said. "He wasn't in good spirits. He was very depressed, but is still fighting away, as he always does. "We are just hoping we can control the bleeding." He said patients in intensive care for long periods often developed internal bleeding. "You try to find if there's a source of the bleeding. We haven't found a particular source [in Best's case]." Ex-wife Alex Best said: "I am just praying that, once again, he somehow manages to pull through against all the odds. My thoughts and prayers are with him." Son Callum told the BBC that his father's condition was "touch and go". Best's agent, Phil Hughes, brought him to the private hospital earlier this month to be treated for flu-like symptoms including shortness of breath. The ex-footballer developed a kidney infection and has not left the hospital. He was admitted to intensive care. Drinking bouts Prof Williams, responsible for Best's care since his transplant, said that infection was not directly related to his problems with alcohol. But he said he would have been more susceptible to the illness due to medication to suppress the immune system and prevent his body rejecting a new liver. At the time, the consultant would not say whether Best had been drinking again, although he said Best's failure to give up alcohol following his operation three years ago had caused concerns. "We're disappointed, there's been these awful bouts of drinking which have gone on and he's had all these other sorts of social problems," he said. Best was arguably the most naturally gifted British footballer of his generation. He made his professional debut for Manchester United in 1963, aged 17, and helped the club become the first English side to lift the European Cup in 1968. Best was voted both English and European Footballer of the Year that season and also won 37 caps for Northern Ireland. GEORGE BEST'S HEALTH March 2000: Severe liver damage diagnosed February 2001: Treated for pneumonia April 2001: Anti-alcohol pellets implanted into his stomach July 2002: Undergoes liver transplant November 2004: Routine operation to check on liver transplant October 2005: Treated for kidney infection in intensive care Hope he gets well soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Fox Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libertine Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Well, it's his own fault unfortunately, he's had a liver transplant and still chose to carry on drinking heavily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Fox Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Well, it's his own fault unfortunately, he's had a liver transplant and still chose to carry on drinking heavily. Agree totally, he's had his 2nd chance in life and has p!ssed it away. Any normal person wouldn't have that chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anish Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Agree totally, he's had his 2nd chance in life and has p!ssed it away. Any normal person wouldn't have that chance. Exactly. Best deserves what he's getting - he has already had the benefit of a transplant and he should never have touched alcohol after that. I don't care what happens to him, he may have been an outstanding footballer but he deserves no respect for what he's done after his playing days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Everyone else has said it for me! Its sad to see anyone dying and I don't want anyway to be in pain or ill or die but it happens and no-one deserves to be in pain/ill/die (Apart from a few people) but he has ruined it he has had 2/3 chances and he has wasted them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burger Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 "He wasn't in good spirits" HAHAHA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 I was one of those lucky enough to see George Best at his peak as a footballer and can tell you this: you literally shivered with the thrill of anticipation on the way to the ground. You really were aware that you were about to live a special moment of your life. You still hoped that Leicester would win but never for Best to play badly. Best in town didn't happen every day so you still wanted to see the all the special magical trickery that only he could produce. Very few people in football truly make your hairs stand on end - Pele, Cruyff, Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Denis Law could be thrilling - and the Irish "Beatle" Best. Of course his present predicament is his own stupid fault. But he never was about wine and women for me - he never was even anything special in that department. I owe him big time for some of the greatest memories of my life. And for those unforgettable moments he is welcome to my thanks, my sympathy and my deeply felt wish that he can somehow recover and spend the rest of his days in dignity. Good luck George. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 although i ve only seen videos of the great man i do share thracians views , good luck george Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gist Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 It upsets me to think that someone would donate for him and he goes straight back to the drinking .. was a great player though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 It upsets me to think that someone would donate for him and he goes straight back to the drinking .. was a great player though Exactly! This is why I don't have too much sympothy for him! I'm sure there are more people out there who needed the treatment more and someone who would actually look after a new liver, but because he's got abit of $ he gets it first, then waste's his chance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head Honcho Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 I was one of those lucky enough to see George Best at his peak as a footballer and can tell you this: you literally shivered with the thrill of anticipation on the way to the ground. You really were aware that you were about to live a special moment of your life. You still hoped that Leicester would win but never for Best to play badly. Best in town didn't happen every day so you still wanted to see the all the special magical trickery that only he could produce. Very few people in football truly make your hairs stand on end - Pele, Cruyff, Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Denis Law could be thrilling - and the Irish "Beatle" Best. Of course his present predicament is his own stupid fault. But he never was about wine and women for me - he never was even anything special in that department. I owe him big time for some of the greatest memories of my life. And for those unforgettable moments he is welcome to my thanks, my sympathy and my deeply felt wish that he can somehow recover and spend the rest of his days in dignity. Good luck George. I'm with you Thracian all these w*nkers on ere slagging him off haven't got a Fvcking clue. They seem to forget or don't realise that alcoholism is an illness you just dont cure with a dose of antibiotics, he's not a stupid man he knew what the consequences would be if he carried on drinking. Once an alcoholic always an alcoholic there is no cure. You can only try to control the illness. I too saw him play at Filbert Street, probably the most skilful player ever to play there. Get well soon George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libertine Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 I'm with you Thracian all these w*nkers on ere slagging him off haven't got a Fvcking clue. They seem to forget or don't realise that alcoholism is an illness you just dont cure with a dose of antibiotics, he's not a stupid man he knew what the consequences would be if he carried on drinking. Once an alcoholic always an alcoholic there is no cure. You can only try to control the illness. I too saw him play at Filbert Street, probably the most skilful player ever to play there. Get well soon George To call someone a w*nker for giving their opinion is a bit silly now, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 I'm with you Thracian all these w*nkers on ere slagging him off haven't got a Fvcking clue. They seem to forget or don't realise that alcoholism is an illness you just dont cure with a dose of antibiotics, he's not a stupid man he knew what the consequences would be if he carried on drinking. Once an alcoholic always an alcoholic there is no cure. You can only try to control the illness. I too saw him play at Filbert Street, probably the most skilful player ever to play there. Get well soon George The Priory AA (Alcholics Annoymous not the Automobile Association) Specialist Drink/Drug Camps (Similar to what Kate Moss is currently in) Has he tried any/all of these? Not saying he hasn't because I don't know, and i'm not saying even if he has tried them or not they would/could have worked but no harm in trying! Paul Merson, Stan Collymore, Keith Gillespie, Tony Adams they've all struggled through it, using AA and other methods, as I said it may not have worked for Best I don't know whether he used those method or not but what i'm saying yes being an Alcholic is an illness but readin what you have said there is no cure - Theres no harm in trying though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head Honcho Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 The Priory AA (Alcholics Annoymous not the Automobile Association) Specialist Drink/Drug Camps (Similar to what Kate Moss is currently in) Has he tried any/all of these? Not saying he hasn't because I don't know, and i'm not saying even if he has tried them or not they would/could have worked but no harm in trying! Paul Merson, Stan Collymore, Keith Gillespie, Tony Adams they've all struggled through it, using AA and other methods, as I said it may not have worked for Best I don't know whether he used those method or not but what i'm saying yes being an Alcholic is an illness but readin what you have said there is no cure - Theres no harm in trying though! He has tried most treatments. He was one of the first people to have a drug called Disulfiram or Antabuse. They injected it into his stomach to prevent him drinking.The drug makes people who drink alcohol violently sick, he still carried on drinking. Admittedly many people do kick it but you can ask any one of them how difficult it is to stay on the wagon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Sadly I think George is way past trips to the Priory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nationwider Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Sad in every sense of the word. Since playing his last match in Britain 30 years ago, has Best done anything of any note to warrant the sustained media attention he gets? He epitomises the "cult of celebrity". For the past 10 years, the press have circled Best like vultures circling a dying animal. Its harsh, but as a receipient of more than one cadavaric organ myself, I can't find it in me to feel anything for him. Maybe that's a lack of empathy for the addict - I've never been one so how would I know what its like to be so dependant? All I know is that no footie pundit in any of the inevitable series of tributes that will follow his passing will say, "He was the greatest talent of his generation, but George, mate, you pissed the last 30 years away, you selfish b*stard". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Sad in every sense of the word. Since playing his last match in Britain 30 years ago, has Best done anything of any note to warrant the sustained media attention he gets? He epitomises the "cult of celebrity". For the past 10 years, the press have circled Best like vultures circling a dying animal. Its harsh, but as a receipient of more than one cadavaric organ myself, I can't find it in me to feel anything for him. Maybe that's a lack of empathy for the addict - I've never been one so how would I know what its like to be so dependant? All I know is that no footie pundit in any of the inevitable series of tributes that will follow his passing will say, "He was the greatest talent of his generation, but George, mate, you pissed the last 30 years away, you selfish b*stard". Almost certainly the media contributed greatly to his drinking problem. George might well have been weak-willed/easily led/in love with his image/desperate to remain in the limlight/afraid of losing his appeal to women/addicted to the night life/distraught at losing his ability to play football and any number of other things but at the end of it all he's showed nothing more than human fraily. Lots of people who cost the health service thousands of pounds have smoked themselves to destruction, drunk themselves silly, bonked themselves towards a morgue, driven insanely because of domestic troubles and done all sorts of other stupid things. And some of those equally selfish people have never done a thing in their lives of any great merit. Judge not that you be not judged makes sense to me on this one cos there but for fortune, there but for our nature, there but for our education, there but for our parents, there but for our mental strength, there but for our personal pride, there but for good luck with our own health, there but for a multitude of things ... go you and I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitesh Posted 27 October 2005 Share Posted 27 October 2005 Not ncie to see anyone like that but to be honest it serves him right! hes had too many chances and you think he would have learnt by now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nationwider Posted 28 October 2005 Share Posted 28 October 2005 Almost certainly the media contributed greatly to his drinking problem. George might well have been weak-willed/easily led/in love with his image/desperate to remain in the limlight/afraid of losing his appeal to women/addicted to the night life/distraught at losing his ability to play football and any number of other things but at the end of it all he's showed nothing more than human fraily. Lots of people who cost the health service thousands of pounds have smoked themselves to destruction, drunk themselves silly, bonked themselves towards a morgue, driven insanely because of domestic troubles and done all sorts of other stupid things. And some of those equally selfish people have never done a thing in their lives of any great merit. Judge not that you be not judged makes sense to me on this one cos there but for fortune, there but for our nature, there but for our education, there but for our parents, there but for our mental strength, there but for our personal pride, there but for good luck with our own health, there but for a multitude of things ... go you and I. Its not really his alcoholism as such that annoys me. Plenty of people go down that garden path. His addiction is common enough and I certainly don't judge him for not managing to fill the void left after football. He's no saint, and neither am I. What gets me is... 1 - the insane waste of a good liver transplant. (Personal axe-grinding here) 2 - his pundit-crony apologists that will clog up the airwaves for weeks when he finally passes away. All the booze 'n' wife bashing will be magically forgotten. It would just be nice to call his life a 4-4 draw, doff our caps and clear his bed for the next car-crash victim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 28 October 2005 Share Posted 28 October 2005 Its not really his alcoholism as such that annoys me. Plenty of people go down that garden path. His addiction is common enough and I certainly don't judge him for not managing to fill the void left after football. He's no saint, and neither am I. What gets me is... 1 - the insane waste of a good liver transplant. (Personal axe-grinding here) 2 - his pundit-crony apologists that will clog up the airwaves for weeks when he finally passes away. All the booze 'n' wife bashing will be magically forgotten. It would just be nice to call his life a 4-4 draw, doff our caps and clear his bed for the next car-crash victim. I DO sympathise with everything you say. I just don't see how we can go down the road of only providing donor organs for worthy beneficiaries. A good many of those in most need of new livers have been weak-willed wasters anyway. Sadly, they don't get a personality change to go with the organ. Yes you WOULD have thought George would have appreciated the chance he'd been given and taken more care of himself but he is clearly a troubled man in many, many ways. His drinking/wife-beating/reckless disregard/troughs of depression are all interconnected in all probability. It's funny. Anyone gets flu or diabetes or cancer and there is universal sympathy. But when the mind cannot cope properly that sympathy is harder to find. My father cared for the chronic mentally ill at the old Towers Hospital in Leicester and came home battered on many an occasion. He never had a bad word to say about even his most violent of patients. "It's not their fault," he would say, "and I can get away from the problems when my work's done. They can't." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head Honcho Posted 28 October 2005 Share Posted 28 October 2005 I DO sympathise with everything you say. I just don't see how we can go down the road of only providing donor organs for worthy beneficiaries. A good many of those in most need of new livers have been weak-willed wasters anyway. Sadly, they don't get a personality change to go with the organ. Yes you WOULD have thought George would have appreciated the chance he'd been given and taken more care of himself but he is clearly a troubled man in many, many ways. His drinking/wife-beating/reckless disregard/troughs of depression are all interconnected in all probability. It's funny. Anyone gets flu or diabetes or cancer and there is universal sympathy. But when the mind cannot cope properly that sympathy is harder to find. My father cared for the chronic mentally ill at the old Towers Hospital in Leicester and came home battered on many an occasion. He never had a bad word to say about even his most violent of patients. "It's not their fault," he would say, "and I can get away from the problems when my work's done. They can't." Most of the negative comments about George Best on this thread have all stemmed from articles read in the tabloids. If people took time out to see the story behind the headlines they may be a bit more sympathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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