AKEEM ADAMS is said to be responsive, but there is so far no confirmation that he has awaken from anesthesia after having his lower left leg amputated on Monday night.
Yesterday, there were reports that the 22-year-old Trinidad and Tobago footballer had awakened from the anesthesia and is off a ventilator. It was also said that he had spoken to his mother Ancilla Adams.
However, no official source has so far corroborated that the player regained consciousness. Information regarding the player’s health is being closely guarded by his Hungarian club Ferencvárosi Torna, which has made periodical reports on the player’s condition.
But yesterday, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) general secretary Sheldon Phillip was in contact with the Adams family by telephone.
“The news that I have heard is that he was responsive,” Phillips said yesterday. “In speaking with his family yesterday, there was no mention of that (he had awaken). I had also heard the rumours that he had awoken, but we have not been able to confirm such.”
The T&T footballer was hospitalised after a massive heart attack on September 25 and initially had three life-saving surgeries, including the fitting of an artificial heart to replace the failed organ.
With the permission of his mother, doctors performed a fourth surgery on the ailing “Soca Warrior” to remove his lower left leg after the player developed necrosis as a result of his artificial heart not efficiently getting blood to his extremities.
This surgery prevented the immediate threat to his life and successfully stabilised Adams’s circulation. He is awaiting a heart transplant once his condition improves.
Since Adams suffered a massive heart attack, his operations and medical expenses were funded by insurance coverage when he signed for Ferencvárosi in August. The club also flew his mother Ancilla Adams and brother Akini Adams to Hungary and has taken care of their accommodation and needs since.
The family are under agreement that they will not directly divulge information about the player’s condition.
Meanwhile, the Hungarian club has also auctioned off an exclusive autographed Akeem Adams T-shirt, and are also selling special match tickets to raise funds for Adams and his family. The special tickets cost HUF 1,000 and can be purchased in unlimited quantities.
Akeem knows.
T&T Express.
AKEEM ADAMS has only now been informed about what happened to him, but time is still needed for the national senior team player to truly comprehend and digest it. He is awake and being weaned off the ventilator.
However, due to deep anesthesia his muscles have become weak and he sleeps through a significant part of the day. The footballer continues to get large quantities of pain-killers and sleeping pills.
This information was revealed by BLIKK newspaper (Hungarian), which has extensively covered Adams’ condition since he suffered a massive heart attack on September 25 in Hungary, where he plays for the 28-time champions Ferencvaros Torna Club (FTC).
BLIKK said that Akeem’s mother (Ancilla Adams) visits him every day and described her as a very positive personality, who feels it is important now that close family be near her son. The mother, the newspaper reported, said the family members were happy to see each other. But these are difficult moments and Akeem is now faced with what happened to him in recent weeks while he was under deep anesthesia.
If necessary, psychologists will deal with his mental condition in time, but mom believes now is the time when loved ones are needed. Since his trauma, Adams underwent four life-saving surgeries, including the fitting of an artificial heart. He also had the lower part of his favoured left leg amputated six days ago, after lack of circulation caused decay in the limb.
The intervention appears to be successful, as Adams’ lab results and intensive care unit parameters have improved by leaps and bounds. Artificial heart blood flow remains stable and his fever also went down, so medical staff took a decision to awaken him.
His condition is reported as improved, but no official word about his medical condition has yet been revealed by the club, which has closely guarded medical disclosures. BLIKK reported their source as Dr Gentle Psalm, a medical staff member of the Ferencvaros club, who is also a member of the staff at the Department of Cardiology Center at the Városmajori Heart Clinic in Budapest, where Adams is housed.
BLIKK reports: “On Thursday, the man woke up from his coma, and communicated with those in the surrounding environment, with the hospital workers, his mother and brother. They told the footballer that they had to amputate his left leg which had become infectious, and also that in the last two and a half weeks he had been operated on four times.
However, according to our information, the player is not only concerned about himself, but regrets that the team (Ferencvaros) has suffered. BLIKK has learned that the Ferencvaros and T&T player has personally thanked the doctors for treating him.”
During his time in hospital, Adams’ team, Ferencvaros have gone into a form slump and have dropped down the standings from third spot. Opponents that have beaten them say Ferencvaros have not played the same since the defender’s injury, and team coaches say they are having a problem getting Adams’ teammates to concentrate fully on football since the tragedy.
BLIKK said Adams has apologised to his teammates for them not being able to rely on him, and was very disappointed because he cannot go back to action and help them.
“This shows how Akeem Adams means a lot to have included in the FTC ( Ferencvaros), and the close relationship with the club managers, co-workers, members of the frame,” said BLIKK.