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Christian Petracca has suffered another setback in his efforts to return to optimal health, returning to hospital on Saturday night with appendicitis.
The Melbourne superstar has just endured a “pretty traumatic” ordeal less than a month ago resulting from an accidental knee injury in the King’s Birthday clash against Collingwood.
He suffered four broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and a punctured lung, and required surgery and time in intensive care, while being rushed to hospital two weeks later with new problems.
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Now appearing to be on the mend, having sidelined the remainder of the season to focus on his recovery, Petracca suddenly finds himself facing another operation.
He was pictured sitting in a hospital bed in an update from his fiancée Bella on Saturday night.
“Always smiling,” she wrote, along with emojis of mended and broken hearts.
Last week, Petracca expressed relief that his daily life was finally more coherent again.
“The first few weeks were pretty traumatic, to be honest, I’m not going to lie… In the ICU, on a ward, then in and out of the hospital,” he said on June 25.
“A week ago, I was rushed back to the hospital early in the morning for some tests. I woke up with some complaints and went straight to the hospital.
“It was quite stressful, it’s something I’ve never experienced before. The first year I underwent my ACL rehab, I was a bit young, naive and cheeky and didn’t understand the seriousness of the injury. Today, at 28, it’s very different.”
After his operation, Petracca was sent home but isolated due to the risk of infection.
“For the first ten days, I didn’t see anyone except my parents and my fiancée,” he said.
“It was a little frustrating, but also quite nice to have some time alone with my fiancée, to relax and disconnect from the world.”
Petracca became emotional as he said his injury was “probably the most traumatic thing” he had ever experienced in his life.
“I get very emotional thinking about it… probably more so the impact it had on my fiancée… that’s probably the hardest thing, to be honest, I’m not going to lie,” he said.
“It was a challenge for both of us, but we got through it, which is the main thing… sorry. It was tough.
“The support I got from everyone was amazing — my fiancée, my parents, my family, his parents, my friends, everyone in football — it was amazing.
“But it’s still very hard for me…
“Without a doubt, with any injury – and I’ve been through this in my first year – with the self-doubt and the confidence issues and wanting to get back to being the player I was.
“But it’s been three weeks, I just need to disconnect, trust the process, embrace the journey.
“If I rush, I will only go backwards. I have to take each step as it comes and focus on small goals.”