By Michael Fowler
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will be moved from intensive care into a ward on Saturday but has revealed he is expecting a “very long journey” to recover from a fractured vertebra and several broken ribs.
Mr Andrews does not require surgery on his injured spine for now, after sources close to the Premier said on Thursday there was a 50 per cent chance surgery would be needed over the weekend.
Premier Daniel Andrews has a serious back injury after slipping down stairs on Tuesday.Credit:Joe Armao
He has been in the intensive care unit of The Alfred hospital since Tuesday evening following a fall on “wet and slippery stairs” in the early hours of that morning.
In a post on Facebook on Saturday, the Premier said “the good news is no surgery for now, but the doctors tell me recovery and rehab is still going to be a very long journey”.
Orthopaedic surgeons this week said the standard recovery period for Mr Andrews’ injury – a fractured T7 vertebra in the middle of the back – was between six and 12 weeks.
Associate Professor Steve McGloughlin, the intensive care unit director at The Alfred, said in a statement that Mr Andrews was “in good spirits and remained in a stable condition”.
“Mr Andrews is comfortable and doing well. There is no plan for surgery at this stage,” he said.
The Premier was at a home in the Mornington Peninsula when he fell early on Tuesday morning, the same day he was due to attend a press conference announcing a state inquiry into Indigenous inequality. The exact circumstances around the fall remain unclear.
He was initially taken to Peninsula Private hospital before being moved to The Alfred trauma centre in the evening. X-rays revealed he broke ribs on his left and right sides but suffered no head injuries.
Health Minister Martin Foley said on Friday that he was told the Premier was “up and about”, moving and walking.
“That’s a positive sign ... it’s a very nasty injury,” he said.
Acting Premier James Merlino is set for an extended period of time deputising for Mr Andrews. The Deputy Premier, who is also the minister for education and for mental health, will take charge for this week’s sitting of State Parliament.
Senior ministers, including Mr Merlino, insisted this week that the government would proceed with business as usual despite its leader’s physical absence.
“I’m sure that I’ll be speaking to him pretty regularly over the course of the next few weeks,” Mr Merlino said.
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Michael is a state political reporter for The Age.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMijQFodHRwczovL3d3dy50aGVhZ2UuY29tLmF1L3BvbGl0aWNzL3ZpY3RvcmlhL2RhbmllbC1hbmRyZXdzLXRvLWxlYXZlLWludGVuc2l2ZS1jYXJlLWJ1dC1leHBlY3RpbmctdmVyeS1sb25nLXJlY292ZXJ5LXBhdGgtMjAyMTAzMTMtcDU3YWZoLmh0bWzSAY0BaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAudGhlYWdlLmNvbS5hdS9wb2xpdGljcy92aWN0b3JpYS9kYW5pZWwtYW5kcmV3cy10by1sZWF2ZS1pbnRlbnNpdmUtY2FyZS1idXQtZXhwZWN0aW5nLXZlcnktbG9uZy1yZWNvdmVyeS1wYXRoLTIwMjEwMzEzLXA1N2FmaC5odG1s?oc=5
2021-03-13 04:27:00Z
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