Noreiga Discharged !
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
National Team defender Anthony Noreiga was discharged from the Habour UCLA Medical Center on Thursday after being warded there since Saturday following his head injury sustained against the United States in Los Angeles, California.
Noreiga, who sustained a brain contusion in the CONCACAF Gold Cup fixture, improved considerably over the past two days, according the T&T Team Doctor Terence Babwah.
“Noreiga has improved considerably over the last 2 days to the point that he was seen and discharged from hospital today. He was a bit confused over the last 2 days stating inappropriate events and he had some delusions about the hospital,” Babwah said in a statement to TTFF Media.
“Today (Thursday) he had less delusions and walked comfortably around the ward. His mother was around him today. The attending neurosurgeon cleared him to fly home and continue treatment home.”
However, Noreiga’s mother felt more comfortable with her son spending a couple extra days and he will now return home on Monday. TTFF Special Advisor Jack Warner will cover the cost of the three extra nights for the player and his mother.
Upon arrival in Trinidad, he will be seen and treated by doctors in Trinidad and receive physiotherapy there after.
Babwah also wished to clear the air on a media report carried on local radio station 91.9 fm which stated that Noreiga was not sufficiently taken care of by TTFF officials since his injury.
“Sam Phillip and I visited Noreiga twice daily from Sunday to Tuesday. He was in ICU for 2 days and had limited visitors. He moved to a step down ward on Monday with limited visitors and to a general ward on Tuesday with unlimited visitors. He was only allowed food and drink on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, we visited until 1pm and was due to return to visit after picking up his Mom at 6:55pm at the airport. Due to inclement weather in Miami, she didn't arrive until 2:30am this morning June 14th.
“Some Trinis were able to visit him and not seeing us yesterday evening he thought that we went to Boston and left him alone. He was confused and so wouldn't know how many times we visited him. He even had to be restrained to the bed. We didn't get to return with his toiletries on Wednesday night. These “trinis” called the radio station and complained bitterly about him being abandoned by the TTFF without knowing exactly what was happening,” Babwah added.
One individual even called the Trinidad and Tobago Embassy to complain.
“I got an update daily from his doctors and so had all the necessary information. There were records that we visited every day- so there were unfounded complaints,” Babwah concluded.