Akebono gravely ill (activities thread)

[Akinomaki 40,103]

I think he deserves to have a separate thread for this.
He visited mombu-kakgaku daijin Hase in the ministry to do business PR. Last year, after he became a free agent, he started his own (MMA/)pro wrestling association Odo 王道, royal road and is preparing the launch of events. As another successor to Giant Baba, his widow promised him full support.
The minister asked about the year end RIZIN event with his loss against Bob Sapp: "Did you get 50 million for New Year's Eve?"
Akebono explained about the reason for starting his new association and that a part of earnings will be used for donations, that visits to care facilities etc. will happen - just like the NSK is operating (I don't think he'll get the same public interest corporation status that easy) - the minister (for sports as well) readily agreed to cooperate .
http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/491417/
http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/news/1575222.html
http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/479825/
In the minister's chair (doesn't sound as good as in German)

Edited April 16, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki 40,103]

Akebono postpones (a simple) surgery for the back of his head: the heavy bleeding from the hit he got there in the fight with Bob Sapp on New Year's Eve led to a doctor stop then. The medical examination showed it wasn't urgent.

http://www.nikkansports.com/battle/news/1593951.html

[WAKATAKE 2,644]

Really unfortunate that the match turned out the way it did, I was looking forward to some action from those two. Hopefully after Akebono is healed they can talk another match to settle the score once and for all.

[Kasutera 258]

Wow, is that really Akebono's calligraphy? That's some sexy brushwork there, Mr. Rowan.

[hamcornheinz 839]

I doubt all these rikishi writings are their own. too good to be true

[Akinomaki 40,103]

Akebono confessed that he had been in hospital for 2 weeks with pneumonia, the 2nd hospital stay for him this year.
He fell ill during a fight on the 21st last month, apparently some bacteria from his 1st hospital stay had remained in his body.
End of January he was urgently hospitalized with cellulitis and skin ulcer, then a 3 weeks stay.
http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/532056/

[Motemakuru 26]

A couple Akebono pictures from Odo's first major show, 「王道 THE BEGINNING」:

(For the curious - the guy in the blue mask is Fenix, while the guy in the black gear is Pentagon Jr. If you're curious about lucha libre, look up these two, they're amazing.)

Edited April 27, 2016 by Motemakuru

[Akinomaki 40,103]

Akebono is in hospital in a dangerous state. After a fight in Fukuoka on the 11th he complained about a sudden deterioration of his physical condition and an ambulance brought him to the hospital. At first it was thought he could leave in 10 days, but it is much more serious. He now sleeps under medication in the ICU. The family rushed to the hospital and prays for his recovery.

If his conditions stabilizes, his wife wants to transfer him to a hospital in Tokyo. He had been in hospital several times in the past with sudden grave pneumonia, sometimes for quite a long time. http://www.hochi.co.jp/topics/20170415-OHT1T50314.html

Recently on TV he had talked about his health problems - it did sound like he already had experienced a narrow escape from death.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Akinomaki

[Chijanofuji 110]

Here's the latest news from Hawaii News Now:

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/35172093/reports-akebono-hospitalized-in-japan-following-wrestling-match

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/clip/13257180/reports-akebono-hospitalized-in-japan-following-wrestling-match

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

Akebono Taro, the Waimanalo-native who made history by becoming the first non-Japanese-born sumo wrestler to reach the title of yokozuna, has been hospitalized in Japan, according to a statement on his Japanese website.

The statement, which was posted in Japanese and translated into English, indicates that the wrestler is suffering from some kind of leg infection that will keep him sidelined from competition for the foreseeable future. 

Reports by several online wrestling blogs claim the wrestler has been placed into a medically-induced coma, though that information was not included in the wrestler's official statement and could not be verified.

The 47-year-old Akebono, born Chadwick Haheo Rowan, has embraced life as a mixed martial artist and pro wrestler following the conclusion of his distinguished sumo career.

The second link is a TV-report on Hawaii News Now.

 

Edited April 18, 2017 by Chijanofuji

[PawnSums 59]

1 hour ago, Chijanofuji said:

 

Reports by several online wrestling blogs claim the wrestler has been placed into a medically-induced coma,

I'm no doctor, but from what I have heard, a medically induced coma pretty much spells death.

[Akinomaki 40,103]

Akebono's site denies that there is danger for his life and that it was an emergency hospitalization - the reports are said to have been greatly exaggerated. His illness is announced as right leg cellulitis with infection. All his future event appearances have been cancelled and he will continue treatment. http://www.sponichi.co.jp/battle/news/2017/04/18/kiji/20170418s00003000081000c.html

After the proper examination results were announced on the 17th, his kids left the hospital.

http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/676070/

Edited April 18, 2017 by Akinomaki

[PawnSums 59]

Good.

[RabidJohn 1,725]

4 hours ago, PawnSums said:

I'm no doctor, but from what I have heard, a medically induced coma pretty much spells death.

I'm no doctor, either, but I know they use induced coma in several treatments, usually severe brain injury or brain surgery. It reduces brain activity and therefore blood flow to the brain, which helps reduce swelling. It's not the induced coma that's dangerous, but the injury or condition that results in its use. It's a pretty drastic step, but it's not a death sentence. I personally know a couple of people who are still alive and well because of it, both motorcyclists as it happens.

Anyway, if Chad's in hospital with cellulitis, there's no reason for him to be in an induced coma. What he has is obviously a major infection and that's bad enough as it is. I hope he pulls through ok.

[Chijanofuji 110]

I'm also glad to hear the initial report were greatly exaggerated!

Could someone please give a good translation of the Tokyo Sports article at

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/676070/

I turned Google Translate loose on that page and though I get the general gist of it, Google makes a mess of some parts to the point that they become illegible..

Here's what I get from Google translate:

 

Quote

 

Although it flowed to the theory of death in Akebono hospitalization ... The truth is a "cellulitis" that is unique to life

 

April 18, 2017 at 16: 25

 

Akebonokan waits for it

Pro wrestler former Yokozuna Akebono (47) belongs to the "royal road pro wrestling" on 17th, announced that the condition of the dawn being missing is "right leg giant flora" and "infectious disease".

It is said that there is a slight fever due to the influence of the bacteria entering the body from the wound flowing into the blood, which has occurred last year in the same place. However, there is no separate stipulation in life, and I will continue medical care as it is.

Akebono participated in the third consecutive war with the Zero One Yamaguchi Tournament on the 9th, the Kumamoto Games on the 10th the next day, and the DDT Omuta Games on the 11th. But on the morning of February morning, the body felt something unusual, headed to the hospital in Fukuoka prefecture by car which Bomber Saito referee drives, and received intravenous treatment. In order to receive more precise examination, it was hospitalized intact.

Because I was scheduled to participate in the zero one Okayama convention on the same day, I told the Zero One staff, "I am sorry, again thanking you in advance" and contacted the apology. Saito Referee who accompanied also had another job, so afterwards Mrs. Christine Riko ran into a hospital in Fukuoka prefecture and got nursed, accompanied by the eldest daughter Caitlin and children. Children also said they left the hospital after formal test results on 17th.

Due to being partly reported as "Donkey Emergency Transportation" on Monday morning, various watchful observations fluttered in the professional wrestling world and sumo wrestling world. Far away from the theory of the theory, in some cases it was the death to the "death theory".

A royalty official said, "Because he is also working towards complete cure (treatment), he should be kept watching quietly ...". The return is undecided, and it has been announced that misses already in April are already missing. It is said that "the person himself was also depressed" as it was the dragon pull from each group.

Even when hospitalization is instantaneously linked to "the theory of death", is also "the yokozuna of the world"? It is about to be returned as soon as possible

 

 

[Rocks 1,807]

I will pray for the best for him. But given his likelihood of diabetes to some extent the cellulitis is very troubling.

[Churaumi 728]

20 hours ago, RabidJohn said:

Anyway, if Chad's in hospital with cellulitis, there's no reason for him to be in an induced coma. What he has is obviously a major infection and that's bad enough as it is. I hope he pulls through ok.

I have known someone the docs put in a coma for excruciating pain, until they could clear up an infection. They were worried the pain would stress her body too much and cause other problems. She was ancient, though, and Chad is much younger and less delicate than her.

[tarako 3]

Has anyone heard an update?

[Chijanofuji 110]

16 hours ago, tarako said:

Has anyone heard an update?

No, there have been no updates at all since the day after this story broke.

 

[Chijanofuji 110]

On 2-5-2017 at 23:18, Chijanofuji said:

No, there have been no updates at all since the day after this story broke.

 

After digging a bit further I have just found 2 more articles on Akebono's condition:

https://news.nifty.com/article/sports/athletic/12173-oric2089354/

and

http://bunshun.jp/articles/-/2194

both are in Japanese.

I would appreciate it if someone with Japanese language skills could give us a good translation of those. I have looked at what Google translate makes of them and I'm still somewhat confused after that, so rather than adding to the confusion by stating here what I think these articles say, I would rather have a more accurate report by someone who knows what they actually say...

 

[Asashosakari 19,026]

Nothing new in there except that the Bunshun article backs up the original Hochi claims that it is/was considerably worse than just a cellulitis infection. But it's from mid-April just like that article was, so that doesn't really tell us anything.

[tarako 3]

Anything new about Akebono?

[Asashosakari 19,026]

After nearly four months there's a news update on the website of Akebono's promotion company, announcing the org's next pro-wrestling card for August 22nd. Only limited new information about Akebono himself, but the post does say that he is not scheduled to participate due to ongoing medical treatment.

[Seijakuzan 59]

Has Akebono been in a coma for 9 months now?  It is bizarre how little information is available about his condition.

[Chijanofuji 110]

On 2/1/2018 at 16:53, Seijakuzan said:

Has Akebono been in a coma for 9 months now?  It is bizarre how little information is available about his condition.

I agree. There has been no update anywhere at all.

I somehow doubt he's still in a coma, but maybe that's just me being optimistic.  If he has been in a coma all this time I would have expected some kind of official statement about that by now.

No news at all is indeed bizarre. I can understand that his family would want to keep the medical details private, but out of respect for his fans I would have expected some kind of update by now.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Chijanofuji

[Tsuchinoninjin 1,261]

Unfortunately, the website of his pro wrestling org no longer exists.

The latest news I could find I think is just a tidbit from what Asashosakari covered before:

https://www.excite.co.jp/News/sports_g/20170823/TokyoSports_741315.html

Basically, he couldn't show up to the show due to rehabilitation from the celluitis infection. My grandfather had a cellulitis infection in his leg that ended up in an amputation, and also MRSA. It can really mess you up and relapses are common because there is nothing that can kill the infection. Things like poor blood circulation can really make it worse and impossible to ever get over.