Sam Newman is recovering after undergoing emergency surgery.
The former AFL player was rushed into surgery at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne after experiencing a transient ischemic attack (ITA), also known as a ministroke.
Newman was released from hospital on Sunday and shared the update on his YouTube channel.
The 80-year-old said he was out with his partner Sue Stanley in Port Melbourne, when the medical episode occurred.
“A little fleck of blood went into my brain, and I lost speech temporarily, and I lost strength in both my arms, but that was very short-lived, five minutes,” Newman said.
“I have had a stroke, I have had two little strokes.”
The former Footy Show host admitted that he was still alive thanks to his quick-thinking partner.
“If this had happened to me up while I was on a boat on the Whitsundays a couple of years ago or going around Australia in a central caravan, if this had happened then, it might have been a different story,’’ Newman said.
“But I suffered a medical episode and if Sue hadn’t summoned the help she did I mightn’t be here.”
He filmed the entire ordeal, and even joked about drawing a crowd on Bay Street when ambulance arrived.
The former footy player had surgery to widen the carotid artery on the left side of his neck, and even showed off the scar.
“I’ve had an MRI, an ultrasound and had a bevy of tests and I’ve just finally had the operation to widen the artery which goes into my brain,’’ he said.
“It took them a long time to find my brain but eventually they located it.
“I haven’t had a stroke, well I have had a stroke, I’ve had two little strokes.
“I wanted to say I’ve had it done and I have a glowing health report.
“It’s been a very interesting experience, for someone who’s never been to a public hospital except for in 1967 when I lost my kidney playing football in the first semi-final I was admitted to the Alfred Hospital.”
Images: YouTube
