Learning to walk again

CHRIS HILLOCK/Waikato Times

SMALL STEPS: Former policeman Hone Herewini is guided by therapy assistants Nina Terblanche and Ricky Rementilla during a physio session at Abano Rehabilitation in Hamilton.

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Sergeant Hone Herewini walked the thin blue line as a policeman – now he's desperately trying to walk any line he can following a major brain injury more than a year ago.

The 39-year-old was knocked unconscious as he entered a ruck during a rugby match in Wanganui in September 2008.

Sergeant Major Hone Dalton, who was coach at the time, saw the on-field incident and said: "He just went in with his head down and, next thing we know, he was out cold."

A blow to the head left Mr Herewini with a severe right-sided brain injury resulting in short-term memory loss, partial loss of vision and weakness down his left side.

The muscles in his left leg contracted after the accident and he faced months of rehabilitation, first having botox therapy and then a series of casts to help straighten his leg.

Now the father of four must learn to walk all over again.

This weekend marks the end of Brain Awareness Week and experts are keen to publicise stories such as Mr Herewini's to highlight the seriousness and long-term effects of brain injuries.

New Zealand has one of the highest brain injury rates in the Western world. Hundreds of Kiwis suffer from debilitating brain injuries every year.

The Abano Rehabilitation centre, which moved from Hamilton East to new premises in Ohaupo Rd in January, cares for up to 24 brain injury clients and is home for Hone.

The Hamilton facility's regional manager, Judy Green-Philpott, said all brain injury cases were tragic and Mr Herewini's story was particularly harrowing.

"We can have clients here from three weeks for up to three years or more," Ms Green-Philpott said. "Hone's situation means he will be here for some time as he needs to be able to walk again and cope back in the community."

Although the former Ruatoria policeman misses "catching the crooks and putting them in jail", it's the time away from his children that affects him most.

"I miss them so much. I want to be with them," he said.

His children are based in Auckland with their mother Irene, and Hone relies on regular visits from his stepsister, Debbie, and fortnightly visits from his father, Tama, and stepmother, Pop, who travel from their Whakatane home.

"It's been really hard but Hone has come a long way and he will continue to work on his rehabilitation, we just have to take each day as it comes," Pop Herewini said.

Despite fatigue and memory lapses, Mr Herewini is continually striving to get his mobility back. The hard work includes daily physiotherapy sessions using a hired overhead walking hoist which allows him to put both feet on the ground.

His therapy assistant Michelle Patterson said Mr Herewini had come a long way in the 10 weeks he had been at the Abano Rehab centre.

"Hone can now help us to stand him up by taking some of his own weight," she said. "They are a small gains but they are all part of his ongoing rehab."

Another Abano client, Susan Naera, is excited about going home.

The 30-year-old mother of two was hit by a truck while walking along State Highway 1, three kilometres north of Tirau, last October.

Police reports state that Ms Naera had been drinking and was wearing dark clothing when she was hit, in bad weather, by the truck around 5am.

"It was a week before my 30th birthday party, but hopefully we can still have one when I go home," she said, smiling.

Ms Naera had come a along way since her accident, Ms Patterson said.

"When I first met Susan she was in hospital. It took an hour just to work out that she wanted a glass of water but we got there in the end," Ms Patterson said.

And, though Ms Naera still gets confused and is slow to react, she is making significant progress.

"I'm going good. I try to learn something new each day but I need people to help me remember things," Ms Naera said.

- © Fairfax NZ News