As recovery continues, Opposition Leader begins physiotherapy on arm

Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace says he has begun physiotherapy treatment to restore the full use of his left arm, which he said he had not been using for over a month, after a shoulder injury on November 8.{{more}}

Eustace gave an update on his healing on the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) “New Times” programme on NICE Radio yesterday.

He said his arm was just beginning to return to normalcy, after becoming infected because of the bruises he had received, when a truck dragged him during the NDP march and rally on November 8.

“And it has taken a long time — an entire month has passed to get the swelling down to a reasonable level,” Eustace said.

He added that he was required to have fluids drawn from the affected arm, but that it was recovering nicely and he will have to go through the period of therapy.

“I figure within the next week or so I would be able to move around,” Eustace said, adding that he may not be able to drive, but he would be able to participate more in what was going on.

The leader of the opposition’s shoulder was damaged after he was knocked down and his arm entangled in a piece of rope that dragged him along the road for about 30 feet, he said.

He later announced that, based on a subsequent diagnosis, the injury was worse than first thought and may have affected his participation in the Estimates and Budget debates.

He was not in parliament when the Estimates were debated last week. The Budget is slated for January 14, and Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has said this should give Eustace some time to recover. (DD)