MANILA, Philippines - PBA legend Samboy Lim may be moved out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at The Medical City and brought to a regular room before eventually being discharged for home care even as he remains in a coma 2 1/2 weeks after suffering a cardiac arrest at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Lim’s ex-wife Darlene Berberabe, a lawyer and president/CEO of Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-Ibig Fund, said the other day the family will consider the move to home care after one or two weeks. Lim underwent an EEG (electroencephalography) procedure last Tuesday and it was later confirmed that his brain remains active although waves are slow. The fact that Lim isn’t brain-dead has given his family renewed hope of awakening from coma.
“Samboy’s EEG is better than the baseline EEG but not significantly better,” said Berberabe. “He has no more fever which means the antibiotics are working. The longer he is in coma indicates the extent of impact on the brain. It’s still wait and see. There has been no significant change. No seizures so far. We are now discussing the move to home care, perhaps after a week or two. Doctors will brief us on a smooth transition.”
Berberabe has been on top of Lim’s situation since he collapsed on the bench during a PBA Legends game last Nov. 28. Lim scored two three-point baskets in six minutes to start the contest then was replaced, complaining of shoulder pain. On the bench, he lost consciousness. Lim was rushed to The Medical City where he was admitted in the emergency section without a pulse. Doctors said the cardiac arrest caused the heart to stop beating for about 23 minutes, providing no oxygen to the body. The rule of thumb is the brain may be able to function or recover fully only within six minutes without oxygen. However, there are exceptional cases involving athletes or individuals with strong faith.
At the start of Lim’s hospitalization, doctors placed him on therapeutic hypothermia for 48 hours to prevent further damage to the brain. Doctors feared that Lim’s vital organs may not function properly and secured permission from his family to undertake dialysis as necessary. But while Lim has not regained consciousness, his organs are stable. He has been undergoing passive physical therapy in bed.
A CT Scan showed no swelling of the brain and a functional brain stem. He has been taken off sedatives and blood pressure medication. Berberabe said Lim has displayed positive signs of recovery like yawning and pupil reactivity but still remains in deep sleep.
“We are going through this tough time delicately and I am trying for Jamie and I to be strong together in planning for what is best, in taking care of Sam,” said Berberabe, a summa cum laude graduate of philosophy and a law school salutatorian at UP. “We are caring for Sam, for all his goodness and love for us. Forever, I will have this deep respect and love for Sam.”
Jamie, 17, is Lim’s daughter with Berberabe. She is an honor student and outstanding athlete at Immaculate Conception Academy. Jamie, who is 5-7, has won over 13 international and 47 domestic gold medals in karate kata and kumite competitions. Lim has always been extremely proud of his daughter and only child.
Berberabe said the family is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for Lim from relatives, friends and fans. Hospital and treatment bills are mounting to astronomical proportions so that the family is grateful for whatever financial assistance comes. Lim, one of five children, was 13 when he lost his father who died in his sleep and is the family’s primary breadwinner. His only brother Bonbon takes care of their mother Cora. A sister Maricor lives in the US and two other sisters reside in Manila.
Lim’s family has welcomed efforts from PBA legends Ramon Fernandez and Allan Caidic and The Philippine Star to spearhead fund-raising drives. The Star ran ads in the sports section last Friday and Saturday to express support, praying for the Skywalker to “hang in there.”
Berberabe said those who wish to participate in the fund-raising drive may deposit their donations to Banco De Oro current account No. 7018006040 in favor of Darlene Berberabe In Trust For Jamie Christine B. Lim.
Lim, 52, played on the San Miguel Beer team that won a Grand Slam in the PBA in 1989. His teammates included Fernandez, Hector Calma, Ricardo Brown, Ato Agustin, Alfie Almario, Yves Dignadice, Alvin Teng, Elmer Reyes, Franz Pumaren and Tonichi Yturri with Norman Black as coach. In his PBA career, Lim survived at least nine surgeries. He played in 335 games over 10 seasons. Before turning pro, Lim played on title squads with the San Beda juniors and Letran seniors in the NCAA.
Lim also saw action on the Philippine team that took the Jones Cup crown in Taipei in 1985. He scored 23 points in the Philippines’ 108-100 overtime win over coach Gene Keady’s US All-Star Selection in the final. The next year, the Skywalker hit 16 points as the Philippines beat China, 82-72, to capture the gold medal at the FIBA Asia Championships in Kuala Lumpur.