Adrian Redpath ‘manages the pain’ on long road to recovery
A Tasmanian sprintcar driver and farmer who was left temporarily paralysed after a horror crash is making promising steps in his recovery. LATEST >
Tasmania
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A NORTH-WEST Tasmanian farmer, father and sprintcar racer says he is managing the pain in his quest to take baby-steps each day towards his recovery from a speedway crash that left him temporarily paralysed and clinging to life.
“I think the key is to manage the pain, do the rehab. It’s just going to be slow progress from here on I think, as long as I’m making progress I’m happy,” said Moriarty father-of-two Adrian Redpath, 49, from Melbourne’s Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre.
Mr Redpath, a farmer and a five-time sprintcar state champion, sustained fractured ribs, lumbar spine fractures, a fractured sternum, a pneumothorax, and spinal cord damage after crashing at Carrick Speedway on February 25 during the Sprintcars State Title.
Mr Redpath was initially transported to the Launceston General Hospital before he was transferred to Royal Hobart Hospital, where he underwent surgery to stabilise the spine fractures.
He spent time in Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital for further stabilisation and began his rehabilitation at Royal Talbot on March 17.
“They’ve fitted me in a wheelchair (and) I am still getting winched out of bed into chairs,” Mr Redpath said.
“I am still on heaps of tablets and I have an injection every day.
“My right leg is getting better each day still. I can move it in most directions except I can’t lift it up (from) the bed yet. (My) left leg is still fairly numb, I can’t move it much. I can wobble my ankle around and move my foot up and down a bit. (I) still have a bit of back pain.”
There’s also been a positive development in the condition of Launceston F500 driver Bayden Ellston, who suffered multiple skull fractures in a crash at Hobart Raceway on March 4.
Wife Brittany took to social media last Wednesday to share news of Bayden’s improving outlook.
“Over the past few days Bayden’s sedation has been reduced and today we have some movement, his breathing tube has been removed and he is able to breath on his own and communicate with us slightly,” she said.
“The doctors are astounded with the progress he has made so far, as we had all prepared for the worst. There is still a long road ahead of us but he is taking steps in the right direction.”
Online fundraising continues for both families, who nearly lost dads and husbands.
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