Some great news about TNT NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager. He’s now home from the hospital after spending less than three weeks in treatment for acute leukemia.
His son, Craig Sager, Jr. tweeted the news on Friday.
Since Tue, My Dad's White Blood tests have gone from 6>100>220>a 600 just now & HE GETS TO GO HOME TODAY! We can't believe it🙏 #SagerStrong
— Craig Sager II (@CraigSagerJr) May 9, 2014
In addition, Sager Sr. gave a first person account to Bleacher Report about his how he learned the news of his diagnosis and then how he spent his time in the hospital. Some of the more interesting passages include how he discovered something was wrong after being urged to go to the hospital by Dallas Mavericks team physician Dr. Tarek O. Souryal:
“So I went to the hospital, and they checked my hemoglobin and said I was 4.6, and you’re supposed to be between 13 to 16. They said, “You’re walking dead”—that they never had anybody functioning, let alone standing, with a hemoglobin that low. Usually somebody who’s that low has been in a car accident and lost tons of blood or had some type of trauma. The doctors told me the fact that I was in good shape pushed me through the illness, but my body finally just had enough and it hit a brick wall. The next thing that could’ve happened is my body would’ve shut down and I might have had a heart attack.”
Sager said the fact that he was good shape from running helped him to get through what happened, but if he had waited longer, it could have been fatal. After being flown from Dallas to Atlanta where doctors determined he had leukemia. Sager adds that he was put in isolation to keep from getting in contact with any bacteria.
He had visits from TNT colleagues Ernie Johnson and Marv Albert. And Sager said he was floored when he saw his son’s interview with San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich last month. He had no idea it would happen:
“Junior tried to be prepared. It’s a hell of a lot easier if the Spurs are winning, but not only did the Spurs lose their lead in the third quarter, but Tim Duncan also got hurt, banged his knee, and he was out of the game. I was cringing, but he did such a great job and Pop was fantastic, making his comments afterward about getting me back there. That brought tears to my eyes. It couldn’t have been a better start to my therapy to see something like that.”
Sager says he’s looking forward to getting back to work and hopes to be cleared by doctors after going through another procedure.
“To be honest, I haven’t thought of the reception for my first game back. I still don’t know when I’ll return to the sidelines because I might need a bone marrow transplant after I get out of the hospital in a week-and-a-half. But when that time comes, I’ll be ready to go.”
Here’s hoping that day will come soon, but whenever Sager is ready to return, he’ll be sure to be welcomed back with open arms.
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