Cyprien Sarrazin Reveals Harrowing Hospital Experience, Battle to Regain speech
LYON, FRANCE – Cyclocross star Cyprien Sarrazin has recounted a deeply unsettling hospital experience following a recent injury, detailing a period of intense physical discomfort and a frightening struggle to recover his ability to speak. In a forthcoming interview set to air on Eurosport 1 on Thursday, November 27th at 5:45 p.m. and available on HBO Max, Sarrazin describes a chaotic awakening and subsequent rehabilitation.
Sarrazin recalls initially waking with a significant bandage, a swollen eye limiting his vision, and a feeling of overall weakness after a week in bed. He noted experiencing discomfort and swelling, including a potentially torn medial lateral ligament in his knee, but initially downplayed the severity. “I didn’t have any more pain then that, so I said to myself, okay, it’s okay,” he stated.
Attempting to move from the bed,Sarrazin found his legs shaking and relied on a chair for support,taking a quarter of an hour to reach the door. During this effort,his catheter bag detached and broke,adding to his distress. Hospital staff responded to the commotion, and Sarrazin found himself attempting to explain their noise was exacerbating his condition.
the situation rapidly deteriorated, leading to a panic attack and the governance of medication to help him sleep. Upon waking the next morning, Sarrazin was transferred to a hospital in Lyon, where he was greeted by his father. However,the most significant challenge remained: a severe speech impediment.
“And the great thing is, it comes out on its own!” Sarrazin recounted, referring to the involuntary nature of his speech difficulties. For ten days following the incident, his speech was slurred, and he experienced “lack of the word,” a recognized syndrome affecting language fluency.
Sarrazin underwent four to five weeks of rehabilitation at a specialized centre to regain his speech, ultimately succeeding in restoring his ability to communicate effectively. The full account of his ordeal will be featured in the Eurosport interview, titled “Cyprien Sarrazin with an open heart.”