To Whom It May Concern


Reference:  Wayne Michael Douglas


This is a statement made by me, MD (Wayne’s mother) with reference to my knowledge of his general health and wellbeing between May 1999 and June 2002.

Wayne left NZ in May 1999 for employment in Japan, at this time he was extremely fit and healthy as since his late teens/early twenties he had prided himself on eating healthily and exercising and keeping fit.

From his departure until his return to NZ in March 2001 we were in constant and regular contact either by telephone or email. I was aware late in 1999 that he was feeling stressed with his current job and early in 2000 he changed jobs but appeared to have some problems with constant computer work. In May 2000 he contacted me and mentioned that he had a vertigo attack and was feeling quite unwell, he was off work, had seen a General Practitioner and was on medication.  In June 2000 Wayne said he had been to see a specialist as he was not improving, the diagnosis given was Sylvian Aqueduct Syndrome and he was receiving treatment and medication for this condition.

We maintained constant contact and I became quite concerned for Wayne as there seemed to be further deterioration in his condition instead of improvement, I also had feelings of helplessness in being so far away and unable to provide too much in the way of comfort and support. He was doing his best to cope with his ‘condition’ and although seeking other tests and referrals there did not seem to be any ‘treatment’ given that was giving him relief and the ability to function with any normality.  

Wayne decided, in March 2001, he was returning home to NZ.

I will never forget the day I went to the airport to meet Wayne off the plane on his return home  -  all the passengers had disembarked and were walking across to the terminal building and I had not seen my son, deliberately I looked at every person again and was absolutely horrified to see this ‘skinny, half-dead zombie’ that vaguely resembled him, it instantly brought tears to my eyes to see the horrific physical deterioration in him  -  grey complexioned, eyes sunk into his head with enormous dark circles under them – heart rending for a mother to see.

Wayne’s emotional/mental health was of concern to me on his immediate return – I was greatly aware of his inability to communicate, inability to sleep, inability to concentrate, extreme moodiness and mood swings, he also appeared quite depressed,  this was accompanied with some obvious physical problems as well,  he was constantly turning, stretching and ‘clicking’ his neck every few minutes, sitting with his eyes closed, he had very little appetite and was extremely tired, he was a difficult person to live with during the early rehabilitation time.

It took 14 months (to June 2002) of immense concentrated effort from Wayne together with the help of NZ doctors, specialists, Alcohol & Drug Services, physiotherapists, acupuncturist, herbalist and various health related people and services, also the support of friends and family, to assist him in his rehabilitation from the Japanese specialist’s misdiagnosis and medication treatment.  

As soon as he was able to function on his own, Wayne returned to Auckland to enable him to regain employment.

The emotional and financial pressure it placed on me over those two years has most definitely had an impact on my own health and finances and is something I would not care to repeat.



MD
xx xxxxxx Street
xxxxxxx xxxx
xxxxxxxx
New Zealand