I found myself on the operating table once again—this time in one of Shanghai’s hospitals—due to a spiral fracture of the fifth metatarsal in my right foot. At the end of October 2024, more than a year ago now, I twisted my ankle awkwardly and so violently that I felt something snap inside my foot. I knew immediately it wasn’t an ordinary sprain; I’d had dozens of those back when I played basketball. The pain intensified by the minute, and soon I could no longer put weight on my foot.
Still, I hoped for the best. I limped through my daily routines, bought bandages at a pharmacy, wrapped my ankle, and iced my foot morning and night. The very next day, I had to step in for a close friend with whom I had previously run a small basketball club. I had promised to help lead training sessions that weekend while he was away at a tournament with the kids—and of course, that’s when the injury happened. Luckily, another coach was there; without his help, I wouldn’t have managed those two sessions. I was simply moving too slowly. Those were my last basketball lessons as a coach. I haven’t led a single one since. I still miss working with children from time to time—it’s demanding and full of responsibility, but deeply rewarding.
I continued to hope the injury wasn’t serious. Three days later, I even traveled to Ningbo, where I was filming a TV commercial in a small resort in a more mountainous area. The scenes involving brisk walking and smiling were painful. During filming, I clenched my teeth, and the moment the director called “cut,” I went from walking normally to limping. It was a long, exhausting day. The next morning, I headed back to Shanghai. The swelling had gone down slightly, but the pain made it clear that I couldn’t avoid seeing a doctor.
Four days after the injury, I finally went to the emergency room. An X-ray revealed a spiral fracture of the fifth metatarsal and the need for urgent surgery. I wasn’t allowed to go home; instead, I was admitted to a hospital room, where I waited for the operation two days later.
Since I had arrived at the ER by bike, I had nothing with me. Under the excuse of going to buy food, I cycled home, took a shower, packed the essentials, and returned to the hospital by taxi. The days confined to bed were long and quiet; only my closest family back in Slovenia knew about the injury.
After the surgery, I was “richer” by a metal plate in my foot—this one made in China. Although a longer hospital stay was recommended, I asked for an early discharge. The doctor agreed, and I was able to leave the hospital just two days after the operation, with help from my friend Ken.
A long recovery followed. First with a walker, then with crutches. I ordered food to my home, took taxis to check-ups, and used a special shower chair and protective cover for my foot. Progress was slow, but step by step I managed everything on my own. The healing process went smoothly, and after three months I was allowed to walk without crutches.
Such a small bone, yet such a long recovery. Today, I can do almost everything again, but I still haven’t dared to play basketball. After any surgery, the body functions—but never quite the same as before. Unfortunately, that’s just how it is.
From 22nd to 26th of October 2024 at the Tongren Hospital (Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine), Shanghai
Znova sem se znašel na operacijski mizi – tokrat v eni od šanghajskih bolnišnic – zaradi spiralnega zloma pete stopalnice desnega stopala. Konec oktobra 2024, torej že dobro leto dni nazaj, sem si nerodno zvil gleženj tako močno, da je v stopalu nekaj počilo. Takoj sem vedel, da ne gre za običajen zvin; teh sem imel v času igranja košarke že na desetine. Bolečina je iz minute v minuto naraščala in kmalu nisem več mogel normalno stopiti na nogo.
Kljub temu sem še upal na najboljše. Šepal sem, a poskušal normalno opravljati vsakdanje obveznosti. V lekarni sem kupil povoje in si ovijal gleženj, stopalo pa sem zjutraj in zvečer hladil z ledom. Že naslednji dan po poškodbi sem moral nadomeščati dobrega prijatelja, s katerim sva prej skupaj vodila manjši košarkarski klub. Obljubil sem mu pomoč pri vodenju treningov tisti vikend, saj se je moral udeležiti turnirja z otroki – in ravno takrat se je zgodila poškodba. Na srečo je bil poleg mene še en trener, brez katerega tistih dveh treningov ne bi zmogel. Premikal sem se prepočasi. To sta bili moji zadnji košarkarski lekciji v vlogi trenerja; od takrat pa do danes nisem vodil niti ene. Mimogrede, delo z otroki včasih pogrešam – je naporno in odgovorno, a hkrati izjemno nagrajujoče.
Še vedno sem upal, da poškodba ni resna. Tri dni kasneje sem celo odšel v Ningbo, kjer sem v bolj hribovitem okolju snemal televizijsko reklamo v majhnem resortu. Scene s hitro hojo in nasmehom so bile boleče. Med snemanjem sem stiskal zobe, takoj po režiserjevem »stop« pa sem iz normalne hoje prešel v šepanje. Dan je bil dolg in naporen. Naslednje jutro sem se odpravil nazaj v Šanghaj. Stopalo je bilo nekoliko manj otečeno, a bolečina mi je jasno sporočala, da brez zdravnika ne bo šlo.
Štiri dni po poškodbi sem se le odpravil na urgenco. Rentgen je pokazal spiralni zlom pete stopalnice in nujno potrebo po operaciji. Domov me niso več spustili, temveč so me namestili v bolnišnično sobo, kjer sem čakal na poseg, ki je sledil dva dni kasneje.
Ker sem na urgenco prišel s kolesom, pri sebi nisem imel ničesar. Pod pretvezo, da grem po hrano, sem se s kolesom odpeljal domov, se stuširal, spakiral najnujnejše stvari in se s taksijem vrnil v bolnišnico. Dnevi na postelji so bili dolgi in tihi; za poškodbo so vedeli le moji najbližji v Sloveniji.
Po operaciji sem bil »bogatejši« za kovinsko ploščico v stopalu – tokrat izdelano na Kitajskem. Čeprav so mi priporočali daljše bivanje, sem prosil za zgodnejši odpust. Zdravnik je na viziti privolil in že drugi dan po operaciji sem lahko zapustil bolnišnico. Pri tem mi je pomagal prijatelj Ken.
Začelo se je dolgo okrevanje. Najprej s hojco, nato z berglami. Hrano sem si naročeval na dom, na preglede sem se vozil s taksijem, za tuširanje sem si pomagal s posebnim stolom in zaščitno nogavico. Šlo je počasi, a korak za korakom sem zmogel vse sam. Okrevanje je potekalo brez zapletov in po treh mesecih sem lahko začel hoditi brez bergel.Tako majhna kost, pa tako dolg proces okrevanja. Danes lahko spet počnem skoraj vse, a košarke si še nisem upal igrati. Po vsaki operaciji telo sicer deluje, a nikoli več povsem tako kot prej. Žal je tako.