‘My head was just banging, I didn’t want to leave the house’: Bulldogs star Luke Thompson was going through concussion HELL when he dashed home to England to help his mother fight illness that left her ‘bright yellow’
- Bulldogs enforcer opens up about battle with serious concussion symptoms
- Thompson had to fly home and take seriously ill mother to hospital
- Thompson makes his return for the Bulldogs against the Eels
Bulldogs prop Luke Thompson has spilled all about his return home to England with serious concussion symptoms and saving his mum’s life who has been suffering from serious health problems.
The 27-year-old English powerhouse was originally sidelined after suffering a concussion while playing against the Dragons on May 29.
The ongoing symptoms included blurred vision, migraines and were so severe that he would spend days at home in a darkened room.
Luke Thompson is pictured playing for the Bulldogs in 2021
Thompson has been strong for the Bulldogs since joining in 2020 from St Helens. Thompson has suffered concussion symptoms in 2022.
‘For the first few weeks, it was pretty bad,’ Thompson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I had headaches and I didn’t want to go out of the house some days because my head was banging.
‘I remember the week after the [Dragons] game, the week after we had Penrith and that was the week the doctor told me to sit out because I still had symptoms.
‘It was a night game, the full lights were on and there was the crowd. I sat there and I couldn’t even watch the game, my head was just banging.’
The headaches weren’t Thompson’s only problems, though. His mum Julie, back home in England, was struggling with a long-standing illness – and she wasn’t getting the care she desperately needed.
Thompson flew home to England in June to be with his seriously ill mother
Thompson got a call from his brother saying that he didn’t think their mother had long left to live, so the prop got a plane ticket home.
‘She’s not been too well for a while, but at the age of 54 I’ve not seen that coming. She was a bit in denial with what’s going on, she was jaundiced and bright yellow.
‘My brother couldn’t persuade her to go to the hospital. I stayed with for three nights and managed to persuade her to go to the hospital. If I hadn’t gone home, she might not be here now.’
The time Thompson spent with his mother did them both good. Julie is now getting the care she needs and the former St Helens enforcer’s concussion symptoms have abated.
Luke Thompson (centre) with brother Adam (left) and father Mark (right)
The Canterbury club gave Thompson all the time and support he needed throughout the unusual ordeal – and the forward is now very keen to get back on the paddock and show his gratitude.
‘I love what I do. I come to training every day to better myself and be the best I can be. This gives me more fire in the belly and I want to thank the club for all of the support they have given me. It’s been a tough year and I want to pay them back with performance on the field.’
The bulldozing prop has been named on the extended bench for Saturday’s game against the Eels, and no doubt the Bulldogs – who are in 13th place on the NRL ladder – will be happy to have him back.