All Blacks Prop Tamaiti Williams Loses 18kg After MRSA Infection Hospitalises Him for 4 Months
- All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams revealed he spent four months in hospital after a routine training session took a devastating turn
- Doctors warned Williams that the MRSA superbug, which settled in his spine, could leave him permanently in a wheelchair
- Williams underwent spinal fusion surgery and nearly developed sepsis twice during his illness
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All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams has opened up about a life-threatening MRSA infection that left him hospitalised for four months, during which he lost 18 kilograms and came within reach of permanent paralysis.
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The Crusaders front-rower initially dismissed the discomfort as a minor back strain picked up during training. Over the following week and a half, however, his condition deteriorated sharply, and he was eventually rushed to hospital after enduring a night of severe, debilitating pain.
Doctors warned Williams he could end up in a wheelchair
Speaking on The Good, The Bad and Rugby Australia and New Zealand podcast, Williams recalled the moment medical staff outlined just how serious his situation had become.
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"One of the first things they told me is that I might be in a wheelchair," he said.
"We love rugby, right? But I like walking, too. I was pretty lucky that it's in my like mid-back, but if it was in my lower back it could have been different outcomes."
Williams described the night his condition reached a crisis point, saying he was initially resistant to seeking urgent care.
"I had a bit of an episode one night, and I was rolling around in bed in 10 out of 10 pain, arguing with my wife not to go to the hospital. My mom gave me a call and said, 'I'm going to call the police if you don't go to the hospital.'"
MRSA ate away at his spinal disc
Doctors eventually discovered that the problem was far more serious than a routine back injury. Williams had developed an MRSA infection in his spine, with the drug-resistant bacteria attacking the disc and causing severe damage.
The infection was so destructive that Williams likened the condition of his spine to the inside of a tree burning from within.
He required spinal fusion surgery, with four screws inserted into his back to stabilise the damaged area. His ordeal was further complicated by two close calls with sepsis during his four-month hospital stay.
The illness also took a significant physical toll. Williams weighed around 140kg before he became sick, but lost approximately 18kg by the time he was released from hospital.
Now focused on rebuilding his strength and working towards a return to rugby, the All Blacks prop is simply thankful that the ordeal did not leave him unable to walk.
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Source: Briefly News
