Frederik Olausson

[55fan 5,133]

I was in "whatever happened to him" mode last night, and I remembered Olausson had to retire, but I never heard anything else.

I googled around, and the last I saw was that he was awaiting a liver transplant, but that was a couple of years ago. Perhaps the Swedes on the site have heard more? I'm just curious. I liked him. Thanks.

[puckloo39 5,686]

I was thinking of him, too, the other day. I was playing back 2002 playoff tapes and wondered about him. I watch those games when I need a little deja woo-hoo! I love stories with happy endings.

Hope Freddy's doing OK, I really did like him a lot as a Wing.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Remember that OT goal he scored against the AVS during the 02 WCF? That is my fondest memory. Great guy.

[Guest mindfly]

He had a successful livertransplant in the summer of 2007 and from what i've read he's allright

Edited April 9, 2009 by mindfly

[55fan 5,133]

He had a successful livertransplant in the summer of 2007 and from what i've read he's allright

Yes! Awesome. Thanks for the info. I knew someone here would know.

[Guest mindfly]

I was only half-right after further researching, I read his body kind of rejected the first liver he had transplanted and had to transplant again which was more successful, he felt s*** for like a year and now in january after finally started feeling good, he got a new job in talentdevelopment etc in the HV71 club of the SEL..

Here is a swedish article from mid january, its swedish but probably works alright if you use google translation

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/hock...ticle4164572.ab

Edited April 9, 2009 by mindfly

[dat's sick 1,002]

Found this interview with him from January this year: http://www.jnytt.se/Read__20957.aspx

Translation:

Fredrik Olausson received a second chance to live

The two liver-transplants saved his life. After a long and difficult time, the former hockeyplayer Fredrik Olausson, 42, is now on his way back to a normal life.

-Right now life feels absolutely wonderful, he says.

It all started in the end of 2006 when Olausson was on his way to Timra for an elite-league game with Farjestad. Olausson felt sick, got a fever and had flu-like symptoms. But it turned out to be a lot worse than that. Scar-tissue called 'skleroserande kolangit' had formed on the liver, a consequence of the intestinal disease 'ulcerös colit' which doctors had diagnosed Fredrik Olausson with back in the 90's.

The then SEL-defender went to the hospital in Sundsvall and the next day visited the hospital in Karlstad.

- Everything was at it's edge at that time. There was no other way to go than to transplant. I hadn't had a working liver since many years back, he explains.

The hunt for a new liver was started, and it took two transplants for Fredrik Olausson to come back to a reality he had missed out on entirely. The two transplants were far from being without problems and at the first of them he was struck by shingles, at the second there was complications that made him confined to his bed at the hospital for a time. A time where his life almost ended.

Olausson dropped in weight, nearly 26 kilos [57lbs] from 88 to 62, and was in a really bad state.

He was also hit with memory loss.

Normally it takes a year before the patient is declared healthy and the 42-year old, who currently is work-training a couple of hours every day at HV71 assisting chief-of-sports Fredrik Stillman in the everyday business, is feeling better than ever when Jnytt.se meet him.

How has all of this affected you?

-Positively, Olausson says with a laugh. I'm sitting here talking with you today afterall.

He quickly becomes more serious in tone though. He tells about his way back to getting a working day-to-day life. After the summer he is counting on being fully recoverd.

He got a second chance, something he is very glad for.

- Today you see things so differently. I'm very thankful for a lot, Fredrik Olausson says.

Like what?

- The fresh air, to see the sun shine.. There's a lot I'm thankful for. Everyone has their everyday life, and it's sometimes tough. But right now life feels absolutely wonderful.

- But it's been hard a lot of times. When I got sick the entire system shut down. I wasn't aware of what was happening. And I think it was a lot worse for those standing on the side. They felt so powerless that they probably had it tougher than I had.

Fredrik is talking about his family, that have been there for him in an amazing way, he says.

- They've been fantastic. My children, friends, sisters and brothers, they've all been there for me in an amazing way. I'm very happy for that.

- And for the first time in a long while I feel healthy as well. I'm not fully recoverd yet, but it's getting there.

Don't you miss the hockey?

- Fortunately I've realized that time has passed. After all I've gotten the opportunity to have the worlds best job for god knows how many years. To say I miss it is the wrong word. I was going to retire after that season regardless.

You don't want to know who gave you a new liver and saved your life?

- No, I don't want to. But I'm sure that person had a good reason and I'm thankful for it. I have a gotten a second chance to see my children grow up and become adults and it means unbelievably much to me.

How does you life look in five years?

- I have no idea, and I'm happy for it. You know what? I don't want to know what happens in a while or tomorrow. I want to live and enjoy the present and make use of the time I have here.

Btw, the club he's working for, HV71, is one of the SEL's top clubs. They lost this year's final against Farjestad BK, the team he was playing for when he fell ill.

Edited April 9, 2009 by dat's sick

[55fan 5,133]

Thanks for the articles. I'm glad he's doing well and still involved in hockey.