Post by admin on Dec 1, 2015 22:24:51 GMT
Speedway legend Gary Havelock recovering after six hour operation to improve mobility in injured arm 
Teesside’s former World Speedway Champion Gary Havelock is recovering in hospital following a six hour operation.
The aim of the surgery was to try and improve mobility and feeling in the 47-year-old’s injured left arm.
Havelock smashed his left shoulder and suffered severe nerve damage in a career-ending accident while riding for Redcar Bears in March 2012.
Since then the former England captain and current Coventry team manager been without use of or proper feeling in the arm.
But now Havelock, who won the world title in Poland in 1992, is hoping major surgery at Leeds Royal Infirmary rectifies the problem.
He has undergone the grafting of muscle tissue from other parts of his body and re-routing nerves.
Wife Jayne, who has been travelling from their home in Marton says they have been inundated with good wishes.
She said: “Gary only had two weeks notice about the operation and we have been told that because it involves nerve re-growth, it could be nine months or more before we know whether it has been successful.
“He is very, very sore because it was such a big operation. He’s had six hours of micro-surgery, they’ve had to cut into his leg and his chest and his arm has been cut from under his armpit to his elbow but, hopefully, it will be worth it.
“He has to stay on the high dependency ward because of the strong nature of the drugs he is on to kill the pain.
“When he came out of surgery it was horrendous to watch because they just couldn’t control the nerve pain.
“The regular medicine that he takes on a daily basis just wasn’t touching the pain so they had to call in the pain management team to see what they came up with.
“Leeds are regarded as specialists in this kind of thing. The hospital staff have been absolutely brilliant but hopefully he will be able to come home later this week.”
During the operation Havelock also had a plate removed from his shoulder which was inserted immediately after the crash, which happened in heat five of a League Cup match against Edinburgh.
gazettelive.co.uk/sport/speedway/speedway-legend-gary-havelock-recovering- 30/11/15
Teesside’s former World Speedway Champion Gary Havelock is recovering in hospital following a six hour operation.
The aim of the surgery was to try and improve mobility and feeling in the 47-year-old’s injured left arm.
Havelock smashed his left shoulder and suffered severe nerve damage in a career-ending accident while riding for Redcar Bears in March 2012.
Since then the former England captain and current Coventry team manager been without use of or proper feeling in the arm.
But now Havelock, who won the world title in Poland in 1992, is hoping major surgery at Leeds Royal Infirmary rectifies the problem.
He has undergone the grafting of muscle tissue from other parts of his body and re-routing nerves.
Wife Jayne, who has been travelling from their home in Marton says they have been inundated with good wishes.
She said: “Gary only had two weeks notice about the operation and we have been told that because it involves nerve re-growth, it could be nine months or more before we know whether it has been successful.
“He is very, very sore because it was such a big operation. He’s had six hours of micro-surgery, they’ve had to cut into his leg and his chest and his arm has been cut from under his armpit to his elbow but, hopefully, it will be worth it.
“He has to stay on the high dependency ward because of the strong nature of the drugs he is on to kill the pain.
“When he came out of surgery it was horrendous to watch because they just couldn’t control the nerve pain.
“The regular medicine that he takes on a daily basis just wasn’t touching the pain so they had to call in the pain management team to see what they came up with.
“Leeds are regarded as specialists in this kind of thing. The hospital staff have been absolutely brilliant but hopefully he will be able to come home later this week.”
During the operation Havelock also had a plate removed from his shoulder which was inserted immediately after the crash, which happened in heat five of a League Cup match against Edinburgh.
gazettelive.co.uk/sport/speedway/speedway-legend-gary-havelock-recovering- 30/11/15