recovery – Sportscolumn Blog

Richard Zednik spoke to the media for the first time since his horrific, neck-slashing accident almost two weeks ago, stating he’s ready to get back on the ice. It’s some pretty impressive stuff considering it looked like he might not even make it out of the arena alive as he left a river of blood in his path following the injury.

I want everyone to know that I am recovering and feeling well and hope to return to the ice as soon as I feel medically fit,” he said.

Zednik lost five pints of blood when he was accidentally sliced by the skate of teammate Olli Jokinen in a game against the Sabres.

The 32-year-old forward said he barely felt the skate slice into his carotid artery, but with blood gushing from his neck he knew he was in trouble. “I was like, Whoa. I knew I had to get to the bench.”

He said it felt “like being stabbed and quickly realized it was serious”.

He was discharged from Buffalo General Hospital a week ago and returned to South Florida. Zednik wants to play again as soon as possible, but it’s doubtful he’ll return this season.

Zednik said, “I was cut before on my face and I didn’t feel it. This time it wasn’t a cut, it was like a stab. I felt like somebody stabbed me. It wasn’t the pain, it was more like ‘What’s going to happen?

Don’t worry, you weren’t the only person who felt like that. We believe the entire world was wondering about your fate. We don’t pretend to be some huge hockey followers, but we are thrilled to hear of Zednik’s recovery and we guarantee we’ll be watching in awe when he returns to the ice for the first time.

Links:

[CBS4.com]: Panthers’ Zednik: “I Can’t Wait To Be Back On Ice”

Kevin Everett expected to recover thanks to revolutionary procedure

There’s really nothing to say other than science is simply amazing. After being diagnosed with a “catastrophic” injury to his spinal cord stemming from a hit in Buffalo’s opener against the Broncos, one doctor is now expecting the Bills Kevin Everett to walk again. This is light-years from the outlook just days ago.

After being taken somewhat out of his sedated state on Tuesday, Everett had regained voluntarily movement of his legs and arms. While he’s still not completely out of the woods yet and he has some serious rehabilitation to look forward too, this is the absolute best news anyone could have expected following the second half collision.

Based on our experience, the fact that he’s moving so well, so early after such a catastrophic injury means he will walk again,” said Dr. Barth Green, chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Miami school of medicine.

“It’s totally spectacular, totally unexpected,” Green told The Associated Press by telephone from Miami.

The most amazing part of this story is the revolutionary procedure that was used to help save Everett and could end up helping millions of others in similar, life threatening situations.

Green said the key was the quick action taken by (Dr. Andrew) Cappuccino to run an ice-cold saline solution through Everett’s system that put the player in a hypothermic state. Doctors at the Miami Project have demonstrated in their laboratories that such action significantly decreases the damage to the spinal cord due to swelling and movement.

“We’ve been doing a protocol on humans and having similar experiences for many months now,” Green said. “But this is the first time I’m aware of that the doctor was with the patient when he was injured and the hypothermia was started within minutes of the injury. We know the earlier it’s started, the better.

And just think, all this time we’ve been making fun of Ted Williams’ frozen head.

Links:

[RockyMountainNews.com]: `He will walk again,’ doc say of Bills TE hurt vs. Broncos