Fix It

In regards to the tragic story of Mary Oshlag and the downhill slide she has taken from the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s, I was struck by something her husband Richard has reported. In her last good time period when she was able to continue to enjoy her daily bridge games, keeping her mind, body and spirit going, Mary was prevented from playing bridge on certain days because she had too many masterpoints. That’s a terrible shame. Part of the story was that the minute she stopped playing bridge, it was like the light switch in her life was turned off.

This is not a good reflection on the bridge community’s effort to battle Alzheimer’s. Surely, we can do better. Most likely, the club’s hands were tied. Perhaps a think tank can be formed to overcome the red tape involved in making medical exceptions regarding club games. It made me very sad to think that a lovely and vibrant lady such as Mary – or many thousands of others – are forced to the sidelines because of masterpoints and not allowed to live out their lives enjoying the game that has kept them going. We need to be more inclusive in times of need. Please find a way to overcome this obstacle.

Billy Miller

Las Vegas, Nevada