Injured jockey Tom Prebble is set to leave intensive care and move into the Austin Hospital’s spinal care unit as his medium-to-long-term prognosis remains unclear.
Prebble was airlifted to Melbourne after fall at Warrnambool last Tuesday and while he is out of an induced coma and is set to exit intensive care, a long and uncertain recovery awaits.
He issued a message through Racing Victoria on Tuesday, a week on from his fall.
“I know there’s been a mountain of concern and care about where I’m at and I’m very appreciative of that. I’m happy to make it as clear as I can where things have landed one week in,” he said.
“My key injury is to my spinal cord. AT THE MOMENT, I’ve got nothing happening from the bottom of my rib cage down through my body… currently no feeling or movement.
“My doctors say it’s now a waiting game over the coming weeks and months to see where things land. The message is very clear: to remain fully optimistic re improvement but also be realistic and that there are a full range of possible outcomes from this injury.
“So, to the question we all want an answer to: What about my long-term recovery of feeling, movement and mobility? The answer is at this time no one actually knows where things will land.”
Prebble’s other injuries are a fracture of the T5 vertebrae that required surgery to stabilise it, a fracture to his neck, some rib fractures and minor lung related issues.
“I hope how I’ve explained it is clear and puts everyone in the picture. From here on, I’m happy to provide updates as my situation changes, but that’s where I’m at today,” he said,
Prebble is the son of former jockeys Brett Prebble and Maree Payne.
