It’s been a rough last couple of years for Quincy Pondexter. The swingman missed the last two full seasons for the New Orleans Pelicans due to consistent knee problems and suffered multiple setbacks while attempting to make it back to the court.
But as ESPN’s Chris Haynes reports, his knee issues were more serious than simply keeping him off the court; it became potentially life-threatening after it was revealed that he had contracted a dangerous infection.
Pondexter said fluid was drained from his knee and, after a few days, it was discovered he had MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a skin infection that is difficult to manage and, if not treated properly and promptly, could lead to death. Nobody knew when he developed the infection.
He was immediately taken to surgery to try to flush the infection out of his system. Dr. Williams explained to Pondexter and his family that MRSA tends to cause complications to the healing process of a significant injury.
Pondexter recounts in detail the various treatments he had to undergo upon discovering he had MRSA, which were as excruciating to read as they were to actually live through.
“I was getting checked on every two hours in the hospital,” he said. “I was doing three full bags of liquid antibiotics, which took close to two hours each time. There was a point where I was connected on both sides, whether it was antibiotics or IVs or all types of other medicines to keep me alive. It was pretty crazy. It's a full day, 24 hours, around-the-clock watch over that recovery. You're trying to eliminate an infection that's deadly.”
Fortunately, though, Pondexter has made a successful recovery. He no longer feels pain on his knee, and finally appears in good enough shape to play once again.
https://twitter.com/Shadymac1/status/903456432414121984
It's certainly great news that Quincy Pondexter has overcome his serious health issue. He can now focus on resuming his career, and after being traded to the Chicago Bulls this offseason, he should at least get the opportunity to play and prove he’s still capable of contributing to an NBA team.
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