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Sunday, March 4, 2012
Ike discusses valley fever

By Adam Rubin

Ike Davis discussed with reporters on Sunday morning his suspected valley fever diagnosis.

Read the full news story here.

Here's the transcript:

Was this something when you went to New York that they told you valley fever is likely diagnosis?

"The blood test wasn't back and I wasn't going to just throw out random stuff that I didn't know. But the specialist up there said there was a possibility I did have valley fever. But I'm not going to sit here and talk about stuff that could be possibilities. I wanted to know the truth before I told anybody."

So you got the blood test results back eventually?

"The deal is: The specialist still thinks I have valley fever, but the blood test was negative. That's why it's hard to really talk about it. We don't know for sure yet."

Did anything change from the time you got back from New York to camp on Feb. 23 and now?

"Nothing. It's been the same. Seriously. I feel great. And I don't have any symptoms of it. I'm not coughing. I'm not throwing up blood. I'm not doing anything. It's not even hard to breathe. The doctor said I could play, and just don't get really, really fatigued. So that's what we're doing. And if I get really tired, I kind of just step to the side and take a break."

Did they tell you how long this takes to run its course?

"Not really. It's person by person. A year, maybe. But another thing is, if you look at it, like 40 percent of people that live in Arizona get it in their life. It doesn't affect a lot of people that get it. So hopefully I'm one of those guys."

Is it possible you've had this for a while?

"Yeah, I could have had this thing for a year and not have known it, or who knows? I feel great. It's not really affecting anything that I'm doing out here."

Is there any level of concern because Conor Jackson with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the time had a debilitating case and lost energy for a year?

"Extreme cases, I could imagine, it would be tough. But I don't think I have an extreme case. I feel great now, obviously. If it gets really bad, you guys will find out, because I won't be playing. But I feel great now, and I don't see anything in the future. There's nothing that's come up. Once again, I could have had it for six months and not even known it. I can't answer a lot of questions of the future. As of right now, I'll be playing."

Do you know Conor Jackson? Have you spoken with him?

"I know Conor. Yeah. I haven't talked to him about it. But I'm sure eventually I will."

Why would the doctor think you have valley fever if the blood work did not reveal that?

"I mean, I'm not a doctor. I couldn't answer that for you. A lot of things, sometimes it could be too late or too early to tell."

In that case, because doctors don't know the timeline, they have no way of knowing if you're passed the vulnerable point?

"Exactly. That's why we didn't want to come out and tell everyone, because I don't really have all the answers. It's just tough to make a statement and stuff like that when you don't know exactly what's going on."

What are you going to do to avoid "extreme fatigue?"

"When I feel like, hey, I need to take a break, I'll Terry or something to give me a break. Just by cutting some things down, maybe. But so far I haven't cut anything down and I'm fine."

Does this feel like a weight on you? Are you worried?

"Not really, because if I had a cough, if I felt sick, I'd have maybe worries or something like that. But I feel great. It's kind of weird."

Could this impede playing 150 to 155 games this season?

"Honestly, I think the spring training is going to be the toughest thing. The season, I'll be fine. Just because in spring training you're trying to get ready for the season, so you have to do a lot more stuff to get ready. I don't think this is going to be a problem."

Is there anything you can do aside from rest to hasten a positive resolution? Medication?

"I guess just being really healthy, just keeping your immune system strong. Taking vitamins and not staying out too late and just being healthy."

Valley fever sounds exotic to people on the East Coast.

"It's pretty common in Arizona. Once again, something like 40 percent of people in Arizona get it."

Have you talked to anyone who has had it?

"No. I talked to my parents and my family. My mom's a nurse, so she's seen it. But that's it."

How might this have happened?

"There were some dust storms during the summer when I was back in Arizona. I guess a lot of people have had complications from that."