Post by Taxigirl on Oct 27, 2005 7:25:02 GMT
www.sportinglife.com/football/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/05/10/27/SOCCER_Best.html
Manchester United legend George Best is "severely ill" in hospital after his condition deteriorated, his consultant has said.
The former Old Trafford star has spent three weeks in the private Cromwell Hospital in west London.
Best, 59, who also played for Northern Ireland, had a life-saving liver transplant in 2002 following well-documented drinking problems.
Earlier this week his agent Phil Hughes said he was "doing very well" and his condition had improved.
But last tonight it appeared that his health had taken a turn for the worse.
It was understood that he was suffering from internal bleeding and was on life support.
Professor Roger Williams, who is in charge of the former footballer's care, told The Sun: "It may be an exaggeration to say that Mr Best is gravely ill. But he is certainly severely ill and is fighting for his life."
The professor told the newspaper he had not traced the cause of the bleeding.
He added: "We are not giving up. There's still a chance we can get him through this."
Professor Williams, responsible for Best's care since his transplant, has said the infection that saw him admitted to hospital recently was not directly related to his problems with alcohol.
But he would have been more susceptible to the illness because he has been on a course of medication to suppress the immune system and prevent his body rejecting a new liver.
Best's former wife Alex Best said: "I have been told that George's condition has deteriorated dramatically.
"I am just praying that, once again, he somehow manages to pull through against all the odds. My thoughts and prayers are with him."
Best's agent, Hughes, brought him to hospital suffering from flu-like symptoms, including shortness of breath, and the ex-player has not left since.
He was later taken to intensive care.
Three weeks ago Mr Hughes said that doctors had changed the immuno-suppressant drugs that had been causing Best problems, but he had drifted in and out of consciousness and was "very weak".
At the time, Prof Williams would not say whether Best had been drinking again, although he said Best's failure to give up the bottle following his operation three years ago had caused concerns.
"We're disappointed, there's been these awful bouts of drinking which have gone on and he's had all these other sorts of social problems," said Prof Williams, adding "that's life, and we try to help the patients as best we can".
During his stay in hospital, Best has been visited by his son Calum as well as Mr Hughes, while ex-wife Alex has reportedly telephoned him to give her best wishes.
Mr Hughes told the Daily Mail: "He came in with a chest infection originally but now that has spread to his kidneys and it is affecting his other organs.
"He's got internal bleeding, he's seriously ill - at this point, he's fighting for his life. It's about as bad as it can get.
"George has been unconscious since 1pm (yesterday). His doctors immediately adjusted the drugs he's on and he is stable now."
He added that Best had first taken a turn for the worst a couple of days ago.
Hospital spokesman Geoff Brandon told the newspaper that Best was "still very much alive" but was recovering from further surgery he underwent yesterday.
Manchester United legend George Best is "severely ill" in hospital after his condition deteriorated, his consultant has said.
The former Old Trafford star has spent three weeks in the private Cromwell Hospital in west London.
Best, 59, who also played for Northern Ireland, had a life-saving liver transplant in 2002 following well-documented drinking problems.
Earlier this week his agent Phil Hughes said he was "doing very well" and his condition had improved.
But last tonight it appeared that his health had taken a turn for the worse.
It was understood that he was suffering from internal bleeding and was on life support.
Professor Roger Williams, who is in charge of the former footballer's care, told The Sun: "It may be an exaggeration to say that Mr Best is gravely ill. But he is certainly severely ill and is fighting for his life."
The professor told the newspaper he had not traced the cause of the bleeding.
He added: "We are not giving up. There's still a chance we can get him through this."
Professor Williams, responsible for Best's care since his transplant, has said the infection that saw him admitted to hospital recently was not directly related to his problems with alcohol.
But he would have been more susceptible to the illness because he has been on a course of medication to suppress the immune system and prevent his body rejecting a new liver.
Best's former wife Alex Best said: "I have been told that George's condition has deteriorated dramatically.
"I am just praying that, once again, he somehow manages to pull through against all the odds. My thoughts and prayers are with him."
Best's agent, Hughes, brought him to hospital suffering from flu-like symptoms, including shortness of breath, and the ex-player has not left since.
He was later taken to intensive care.
Three weeks ago Mr Hughes said that doctors had changed the immuno-suppressant drugs that had been causing Best problems, but he had drifted in and out of consciousness and was "very weak".
At the time, Prof Williams would not say whether Best had been drinking again, although he said Best's failure to give up the bottle following his operation three years ago had caused concerns.
"We're disappointed, there's been these awful bouts of drinking which have gone on and he's had all these other sorts of social problems," said Prof Williams, adding "that's life, and we try to help the patients as best we can".
During his stay in hospital, Best has been visited by his son Calum as well as Mr Hughes, while ex-wife Alex has reportedly telephoned him to give her best wishes.
Mr Hughes told the Daily Mail: "He came in with a chest infection originally but now that has spread to his kidneys and it is affecting his other organs.
"He's got internal bleeding, he's seriously ill - at this point, he's fighting for his life. It's about as bad as it can get.
"George has been unconscious since 1pm (yesterday). His doctors immediately adjusted the drugs he's on and he is stable now."
He added that Best had first taken a turn for the worst a couple of days ago.
Hospital spokesman Geoff Brandon told the newspaper that Best was "still very much alive" but was recovering from further surgery he underwent yesterday.