Former Australian cricketer Damien Martyn walked out of the hospital on Wednesday after a bout of meningitis that saw him placed in an induced coma. A two-time World Cup winner, Martyn was admitted to a hospital in Queensland on 27 December after falling ill.
Such was his condition that the doctors had to put him in an induced coma. He came out of the induced coma last week. “The wonderful news is that he has been released from the hospital,” former teammate Adam Gilchrist said on Thursday, during Kayo Sports' Ashes coverage.
“He’s still got a bit of a journey to go to be fully recovered, but it’s terrific and wonderful to know he’s back home and his family expresses their gratitude and thanks for all the support," added Gilchrist.
Another former teammate, Mark Waugh, hailed Martyn's entire journey as a “miracle”. “It’s almost a miracle, really,” said Waugh. “He was looking in really bad shape when he was in the ICU, wasn’t he?”
Notably, Gilchrist has been by Martyn's side throughout this time and served as the spokesperson for the family. The former Australian opener praised the medical staff who treated Martyn but said he still needs to go a long way.
“The word from the medical staff was the ambulance officers who treated him as soon as they saw him could not have done it any more perfectly, which nipped the infection in the bud,” Gilchrist said.
“He still has a bit of a journey to go; it was extreme, but great news.”
Damien Martyn's numbers for Australia
Martyn made his debut for Australia in 1992 and was out of the team after 1994. However, he became a regular in 2000 and played 67 Tests overall, scoring 4406 runs. In 208 ODIs, Martyn scored 5,346 runs. He was also a part of the Australian squads that won the 1999 and 2003 World Cups.
Martyn won the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy and played four Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) before retiring from international cricket. Notably, Martyn played just one game in the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals in 2008.
What causes meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, which are the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and is caused by infections (viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic), thus making it a medical emergency. Fever, severe headache, stiff neck and light sensitivity are the symptoms of meningitis.
