Two of the poker community’s more prominent names have recently emerged from hospital stays, with both of them currently resting well and recovering.
Last month, poker legend Doyle Brunson entered the hospital for what was supposed to be a simple (hey, it’s only simple when it is on someone else) gallbladder surgery. The technique, which is minimally invasive in that only small incisions are made and the organ removed, normally requires only a short hospital stay. In the 81-year old Brunson’s case, however, some complications arose that sent the poker champion back to the hospital.
Last weekend, Brunson’s daughter Pam reported across Facebook that she was taking her father to a hospital in San Diego after he was having issues keeping food down. “Dad is checked in for the night in the hospital,” Brunson updated on Tuesday. “He had a CT scan and now is getting a blood transfusion. He’s pretty cranky…I think it has more to do with the Cowboys losing than being sick!”
After a battery of tests, doctors concluded that Brunson was “anemic and malnourished” (according to Pam) from not eating and a bowel that was spasming (the bowel was looking to move into a herniated area, hence the spasms) was causing issues with his food retention. Both Brunsons returned home on Wednesday, with Pam reporting “Dad drank a protein shake this morning, ate a pancake in Barstow, had another protein shake and now mac and cheese…it’s all staying down with no nausea! YAY!”
Prior to Brunson’s issues, Mike Matusow was also hospitalized. Late last month, Matusow wrote on his Facebook page, “Tomorrow morning I’m playing my biggest poker hand ever as I’m going for surgery.” In September, Matusow scheduled the surgery for his back, where a disc protrusion was causing numbness and circulation issues to his lower extremities. The surgery was completed the next day, but Matusow suffered from a few complications.
Nearly a week following the surgery, Matusow was still in the hospital. “It (has been) a very difficult week, but everything points to me walking again and making a full recovery with a lot of physical therapy to learn how to walk again,” Matusow wrote. As his condition improved, he was moved to the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada to begin that physical therapy. Matusow even managed to joke, “I’m dressing up as a patient for Halloween” as he headed to the rehab center.
Although there have been some difficult days (Matusow reports that it has been difficult to sleep), overall it appears that Matusow’s rehab is proceeding nicely. “I did 12 steps yesterday and my goal today is 50,” Matusow said on Tuesday (he was able to complete that goal). There has been rapid improvement in Matusow’s condition as yesterday he stated that he had slept “great” and was looking to walk on his own for the first time since the surgery.
It is not known how long both of these poker champions will remain away from the poker community. At his age, Brunson has definitely cut back on his tournament activities but is still quite active in the cash game circles in Las Vegas. Matusow, 46, hasn’t earned a tournament cash since the World Series of Poker (perhaps because of the discomfort of sitting with the back injury) and is probably missing some of the cash game action also. Hopefully both men will regain their strength and health and return to the “fun and games” of poker quite soon.
