I realise there is next to no activity on the BF boards regarding the Mallee FL but there has been one great piece of news to happen in the league this Christmas. Earlier this year Beulah footballer John McCredden was knocked unconscious and lapsed into a coma lasting almost seven weeks. He has regained his health and returned home recently.
Article from the Wimmera Mail-Times:
John's Christmas miracle
Megan Hustwaite
Friday, 23 December 2005
THE tiny southern Mallee community of Beulah and its McCredden family will celebrate its own miracle this Christmas.
If they ever needed confirmation about the miracle of life they have it in the home-coming of a favourite son, John McCredden, 30, who has recovered enough from a serious head injury to be home for Christmas.
"I believe in miracles and this is ours," his mother Brenda McCredden told the Mail-Times this week.
"It's the best gift of all that you could have for Christmas. To have him home here with us is just the most beautiful feeling."
An air ambulance flew McCredden to Melbourne in August after he was knocked out in a Mallee Football League match at Woomelang.
Doctors feared at the time he might never recover. He spent 47 days in a coma.
He started his road to recovery in Melbourne's Royal Talbot Hospital before transferring to Peter Heinz Centre in Ballarat where he underwent extensive therapy.
"My goal from the start was to be home for Christmas. So I'm absolutely rapt for it to have worked out," McCredden said with a trademark smile.
His mother added: "We're a very close-knit family and this situation has certainly brought us even closer, if we could have been any closer," she said.
John McCredden said he was amazed by the support he received from the tiny Mallee township.
"I'd like to thank the Beulah community, the football club and everyone who passed on good wishes," he said.
"Former president Russell Turnbull, his wife Suzie and his family have been wonderful.
"Shane Snibson who coached this year has gone above and beyond the call of duty. He's based in Ballarat so he's been popping into rehab to see me which has been really good.
"My work, North West Ag Services, have been fantastic. They deserve the greatest thanks.
"I'm just absolutely awed by the support, it's been amazing. I'd like to pass on my thanks to everyone."
Mrs McCredden said she was grateful to the Beulah community, family members and friends.
"I'd like to sincerely thank everybody for their support, the phone calls, visits, letters, flowers and well wishes," she said.
"We're so indebted to them. We're so happy for them, that they've got the `answer' as well as us.
"It makes you realise there is nothing like a little old country town."
Mrs McCredden stayed with her son for the four months he was in hospital, sitting with him for about eight hours each day.
"We were in it together," she said.
John McCredden said he was thankful for the wonderful support he'd received from his family.
"It's been amazing," he said.
"My mum was with me the whole time and other family members came to visit me in hospital and they've also come around now that I'm home."
McCredden said his memory leading up to the accident was hazy. He had no recollection of the accident or being in Royal Melbourne Hospital. His first memories were the initial stages of rehabilitation at Royal Talbot Hospital.
"I was in a room which had padded walls. The nurses would get you up for meals and put you back to bed," he said.
"I didn't like that much at all but I understood the reasons for it.
"Funnily enough, I went to the football on August 20 and it took me four months to get home."
McCredden said his strength at handling the situation exceeded his expectations.
"I've probably amazed myself at how accepting I've been," he said.
"It took a bit to adjust to. I never showed frustration but I did warn the nurses at times that I might not be completely obliging," he added, tongue in cheek.
He said he was positive about his recovery from the outset.
"I realised I had a job to do and there was work to be done," he said.
"It was pleasing to be involved in the therapy, to see the rapid improvements."
McCredden said seeing and meeting other patients in hospital helped strengthen his attitude.
"As far as I'm concerned, I consider myself lucky because it could have been a whole lot worse," he said.
"I realised while I was in rehab that so many people were worse off than me which was good for me to see.
"There's no point licking your wounds or feeling sorry for yourself because there's always someone worse off."
McCredden is off medication and he will return to Ballarat in the new year for two weeks for more intensive rehabilitation.
He said his doctors told him they had never seen such a quick recovery from serious head injuries. They were adamant his high level of fitness played a crucial role in his recovery.
An item of silverware has also played a significant role in McCredden's recovery.
His Beulah Blues won Mallee League premiership in his honour and team-mates delivered the cup to his hospital room in Melbourne after grand final celebrations.
Nurses referred to McCredden as the `Cup Man'.
"It was a nice gesture from the boys and having the cup there gave me an incentive to recover. It's a good-looking cup I must admit, but I guess I'm a bit biased," he said.
"It was the last thing I'd look at when I went to sleep and the first thing I saw when I woke up."
McCredden said he was proud of what his beloved Blues achieved.
"I thought it would be a shame to let what happened to me upset things, but I hope it did help them."
Mrs McCredden recalled her son's happiness when informed of the premiership win.
"At the time he had post-traumatic amnesia so apparently he didn't know what was going on," she said.
"But when they brought the cup and his premiership medal to the hospital he reacted to it. He kissed the medal.
"He wasn't allowed to have any drinks so the nurse said he could have a Time-Out chocolate to celebrate the premiership."
Twenty family members including John's siblings Martin, Brendan, Carol, Mary and Geraldine and 10 nieces and nephews will gather at the family's Beulah property for Christmas.
Family members will open presents, eat, drink and participate in a traditional family cricket match.
McCredden said his family would make sure it had the best Christmas it could possibly have.
"All my Christmases have come at once," he said.
Mrs McCredden said her son's return for Christmas was perfect timing.
"To have an accident and get home for Christmas, you just wouldn't believe it. It's a fairytale ending," she said
"We don't care if all the countryside's here to celebrate. We'll be beside ourselves.
"This will be the most important Christmas of all time."
Article from the Wimmera Mail-Times:
John's Christmas miracle
Megan Hustwaite
Friday, 23 December 2005
THE tiny southern Mallee community of Beulah and its McCredden family will celebrate its own miracle this Christmas.
If they ever needed confirmation about the miracle of life they have it in the home-coming of a favourite son, John McCredden, 30, who has recovered enough from a serious head injury to be home for Christmas.
"I believe in miracles and this is ours," his mother Brenda McCredden told the Mail-Times this week.
"It's the best gift of all that you could have for Christmas. To have him home here with us is just the most beautiful feeling."
An air ambulance flew McCredden to Melbourne in August after he was knocked out in a Mallee Football League match at Woomelang.
Doctors feared at the time he might never recover. He spent 47 days in a coma.
He started his road to recovery in Melbourne's Royal Talbot Hospital before transferring to Peter Heinz Centre in Ballarat where he underwent extensive therapy.
"My goal from the start was to be home for Christmas. So I'm absolutely rapt for it to have worked out," McCredden said with a trademark smile.
His mother added: "We're a very close-knit family and this situation has certainly brought us even closer, if we could have been any closer," she said.
John McCredden said he was amazed by the support he received from the tiny Mallee township.
"I'd like to thank the Beulah community, the football club and everyone who passed on good wishes," he said.
"Former president Russell Turnbull, his wife Suzie and his family have been wonderful.
"Shane Snibson who coached this year has gone above and beyond the call of duty. He's based in Ballarat so he's been popping into rehab to see me which has been really good.
"My work, North West Ag Services, have been fantastic. They deserve the greatest thanks.
"I'm just absolutely awed by the support, it's been amazing. I'd like to pass on my thanks to everyone."
Mrs McCredden said she was grateful to the Beulah community, family members and friends.
"I'd like to sincerely thank everybody for their support, the phone calls, visits, letters, flowers and well wishes," she said.
"We're so indebted to them. We're so happy for them, that they've got the `answer' as well as us.
"It makes you realise there is nothing like a little old country town."
Mrs McCredden stayed with her son for the four months he was in hospital, sitting with him for about eight hours each day.
"We were in it together," she said.
John McCredden said he was thankful for the wonderful support he'd received from his family.
"It's been amazing," he said.
"My mum was with me the whole time and other family members came to visit me in hospital and they've also come around now that I'm home."
McCredden said his memory leading up to the accident was hazy. He had no recollection of the accident or being in Royal Melbourne Hospital. His first memories were the initial stages of rehabilitation at Royal Talbot Hospital.
"I was in a room which had padded walls. The nurses would get you up for meals and put you back to bed," he said.
"I didn't like that much at all but I understood the reasons for it.
"Funnily enough, I went to the football on August 20 and it took me four months to get home."
McCredden said his strength at handling the situation exceeded his expectations.
"I've probably amazed myself at how accepting I've been," he said.
"It took a bit to adjust to. I never showed frustration but I did warn the nurses at times that I might not be completely obliging," he added, tongue in cheek.
He said he was positive about his recovery from the outset.
"I realised I had a job to do and there was work to be done," he said.
"It was pleasing to be involved in the therapy, to see the rapid improvements."
McCredden said seeing and meeting other patients in hospital helped strengthen his attitude.
"As far as I'm concerned, I consider myself lucky because it could have been a whole lot worse," he said.
"I realised while I was in rehab that so many people were worse off than me which was good for me to see.
"There's no point licking your wounds or feeling sorry for yourself because there's always someone worse off."
McCredden is off medication and he will return to Ballarat in the new year for two weeks for more intensive rehabilitation.
He said his doctors told him they had never seen such a quick recovery from serious head injuries. They were adamant his high level of fitness played a crucial role in his recovery.
An item of silverware has also played a significant role in McCredden's recovery.
His Beulah Blues won Mallee League premiership in his honour and team-mates delivered the cup to his hospital room in Melbourne after grand final celebrations.
Nurses referred to McCredden as the `Cup Man'.
"It was a nice gesture from the boys and having the cup there gave me an incentive to recover. It's a good-looking cup I must admit, but I guess I'm a bit biased," he said.
"It was the last thing I'd look at when I went to sleep and the first thing I saw when I woke up."
McCredden said he was proud of what his beloved Blues achieved.
"I thought it would be a shame to let what happened to me upset things, but I hope it did help them."
Mrs McCredden recalled her son's happiness when informed of the premiership win.
"At the time he had post-traumatic amnesia so apparently he didn't know what was going on," she said.
"But when they brought the cup and his premiership medal to the hospital he reacted to it. He kissed the medal.
"He wasn't allowed to have any drinks so the nurse said he could have a Time-Out chocolate to celebrate the premiership."
Twenty family members including John's siblings Martin, Brendan, Carol, Mary and Geraldine and 10 nieces and nephews will gather at the family's Beulah property for Christmas.
Family members will open presents, eat, drink and participate in a traditional family cricket match.
McCredden said his family would make sure it had the best Christmas it could possibly have.
"All my Christmases have come at once," he said.
Mrs McCredden said her son's return for Christmas was perfect timing.
"To have an accident and get home for Christmas, you just wouldn't believe it. It's a fairytale ending," she said
"We don't care if all the countryside's here to celebrate. We'll be beside ourselves.
"This will be the most important Christmas of all time."
