Luke’s back from brink

By Richard Wright

Friday, May 11, 2012

 

Luke’s back from brink

Luke Johnson has been a successful junior equestrian competitor.

THE parents of a critically ill Island teenager have mounted a bedside vigil as he recovers from emergency surgery.
At one point, Terry Johnson and his partner, Emma Connolly, were told their 18-year-old son, Luke, would probably not survive.
But he defied medical predictions and yesterday, (Thursday), although still in intensive care, was being prepared to come off a ventilator, at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, Wiltshire.
His parents have spent four weeks supporting their son who was taken ill on April 16, with severe complications after surgery.
The operation had been carried out some months earlier for the ulcerative colitis, which was diagnosed when he was just two-and-a-half.
Last week, Luke appeared to be improving to the point where he was being prepared for transfer to St Mary’s Hospital but his condition rapidly deteriorated and he needed emergency surgery to save his life.
Two operations followed in the past few days.
His 48-year-old father said yesterday: “Luke is not out of the woods yet but he is certainly going in the right direction.
“It has been a roller-coaster ride for us and his sister, Lauren, who has also been with us.
“We want to thank all the wellwishers from the Island and Luke’s employer who has let us stay in his accommodation.
“We are just looking forward to getting him to St Mary’s as he recovers from this horrific infection, but that could well be a month away.”
Luke is a former pupil of Priory School when it was at Shanklin and was a successful equestrian competitor at junior level.
He then started working with horses, first on the Island and then at Kington Norton, Wiltshire, where he managed a showjumping and stud yard.

Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk

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