Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 25, 1993 TAG: 9308250076
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
He's trying to find out why he gags when he tries any strenuous physical activity, a mysterious condition that has kept him out of all but a handful of Tech's preseason practices and could threaten his senior season.
"I don't have an endpoint to this. It's not like an injury," team doctor Duane Lagan said. "It's sort of an ongoing thing that's really debilitating for him."
Tests have ruled out an ulcer, a hernia and a problem with his throat. The only current theory, Preston said Tuesday, is that his problem may be stress-related.
"It's hard for me to believe that," said Preston, Tech's leading tackler last year. "I'm not a person that worries about too many things."
Except this. Even though Preston hasn't practiced and said he hasn't even been to team meetings in a week, the symptom still appears when he tries to run on his own.
"At times, I'm down," the Martinsville native said. "I try not to think about it, but it's hard not to think about it. I just pray to God everything's all right."
He's seeing a Blacksburg internal medicine specialist this week for several tests, results of which won't be known for a few days. He said he's had one appointment with an on-campus psychiatrist and is scheduled to go back.
"I'm just giving everything a try," Preston said.
Lagan, who has treated athletes for 28 years, said he's never come across anything like Preston's condition.
It doesn't just happen once or twice a practice. Once it happens, Preston said, he might be able to continue for a while, but not much longer.
"The symptom is serious enough that he is really uncomfortable trying to play with it," Lagan said.
Lagan suggested Preston try throat lozenges to quell the gagging, but that didn't work. Nor did counseling Preston to avoid certain foods before working out.
Neither, said Preston, did a couple days' worth of tranquilizers he tried last week. A thorough examination of Preston's gastro-intestinal system turned up zilch. An electrocardiogram this week didn't offer a clue.
"It's just kind of blind alleys," said a distressed Lagan. "If he's got a problem, I'm supposed to fix it, and I haven't been able to clear it up for him.
"We're not through looking. We're not through talking to people. I just have to talk to people for ideas of what it might be."
Lagan said Preston suffered the same symptoms a couple of times last spring and occasionally over the summer. On the first day of fall practice, Lagan said, Preston couldn't participate.
Lagan said the gagging occasionally causes Preston to vomit, but said Preston told him nausea is not a problem.
"He had trouble breathing when he exerted himself a lot," Tech coach Frank Beamer said.
Beamer said Preston has not practiced in pads at defensive end, to which he moved after spending the spring at safety. Preston was a linebacker his first three seasons at Tech.
At present, redshirt sophomore Hank Coleman and true freshman Cornell Brown from Lynchburg are scheduled to start at defensive end.
The possible loss of Preston hurts Tech - he had a team-high 89 tackles (five for losses), six sacks and eight pass breakups last year. But Beamer said he's pleased with Coleman and Brown and, although Preston was the projected starter, Beamer said he doesn't know how Preston would have affected the depth chart at end.
Preston, meanwhile, doesn't quite know what to do.
"[I'm worried] about my health, really. That's more important than football," he said. "I've had all these tests, and they can't find anything. I hope in the next few days we'll find something out and hopefully it'll be all over."
by CNB