Here's the latest I could find. He's 8 days from the accident as of this report and has only been off sedation for a short time................................
Da Matta Makes Slow but Steady Progress By PAT GRAHAM , 08.11.2006, 04:40 PM
Champ Car World Series driver Cristiano da Matta no longer is under sedation and is making slow but steady progress from a serious head injury, a week after his car hit a deer during a practice session in Wisconsin.
But he's still not responding to commands.
"When they ask him to open his eyes, he's not doing anything like that," Champ Car medical director Chris Pinderski said during a news conference Friday at the Grand Prix of Denver. "How the future goes is still unknown at this point.
The 32-year-old da Matta was injured when a deer ran onto the track at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc., on Aug. 3. He's recovering at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, Wisc. He will remain there for at least two more weeks, at which time a decision will be made about where to transfer him for continued care.
RuSPORT team president Jeremy Dale has been in constant communication with the da Matta family, who have been camped out at the hospital since arriving from Brazil.
"They wanted me to thank everyone for (the) support and all the love," Dale said. "He's not awake yet, but he's getting there."
While da Matta's health remains the top priority, Dale said preliminary discussions have taken place on who will drive the No. 10 car.
"To say we haven't had discussions would be a lie," Dale said. "We have been 100 percent focused on Cristiano and his family and getting him and them everything they need.
"We've had discussions, but it's not been a focal point for us. It will become a focal point pretty quickly. I think it's safe to say in the next seven days."
Pinderski said doctors caring for da Matta have been encouraged by his steady progress.
"As long as he's doing more day to day, we view that as progress," Pinderski said. "(These) injuries are very, very difficult to predict. There's no way to tell what the outcome is going to be. It's literally a day-to-day progress.
"When he's going to wake up, if he's going to wake up, is still unknown at this point. Brain injuries are too hard to predict what's going to happen in the future."
Da Matta was under heavy sedation for the first few days following the accident to restrict brain activity. The fact he's no longer under sedation is viewed as a good sign.
"He's been under very intense management of the brain swelling and it's actually receding," Pinderski said. "Each day he has progressed a little bit more.
"The injury he sustained, it's a pretty bad brain injury. I think it's safe to say he's a little bit better than we expected at this point. He's doing a little more each day. You have to look at that as a positive.
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