Amini’s long road to recovery
A NERVOUS Qadr Amini needed a moment or two to collect his thoughts upon receiving the news that his knee injury was actually worse than initially diagnosed.
The 29-year-old Ngezi Platinum player had just been put on the shelf indefinitely after aggravating a knee injury sustained in 2017 during pre-season training.
An operation was the only way to nurse him back to good health.
Unfortunately, progress was stalled as haunting memories of his father Alidi Amini
who passed on a few weeks after a kidney operation in 2012 naturally took over him, and anxiety crept in.
Not only did memories of his father send a chilling sensation down his spine, he couldn’t stomach the prospect of going under the knife.
“My father passed on after being operated, and when I was told that I had to be operated, I got scared,” said Amini.
“The thought of me being unable to wake up after the anaesthesia made me shiver, while memories of my father who died after an operation flooded my mind,” he said.
It took the intervention of wife Kudzanai Amini and long-time friend Ali Sadiki for the former Gunners defender to finally commit to the procedure.
“I was told that if I don’t get operated, then that would be the end of my career.
“It took the intervention of Ali Sadiki, who suffered a similar injury before, and my wife, who was very persuasive and supportive, for me to finally undergo the surgery.
“Prior to that, I had almost decided against the operation, but I did not see myself doing anything else apart from playing football.
“I just put everything in the hands of Allah and the operation went ahead,” said the 29-yearold left-back.
What followed was the long and tedious hours of surgery, followed by endless days of rest.
It took some months and gruesome hours of rehab before he could run again.
Amini had no option but to switch off from football, spending most of his time with his family.
“After putting up a fine performance in 2017, which I had hoped to carry into this year, I was told that I would be out for a year, and the only option I had was to switch off from football,” recalls Amini.
“It was a blessing in disguise as it afforded me more time with my family,” said Amini.
The Ngezi Platinum Stars defender revealed that during his rehabilitation, his sevenyear-old daughter UmmuKulkum would ask why he was not at work, as she helped him cope with the long road to recovery.
“I was touched with how my daughter helped nurse me back to health; often bringing me an ice pack and constantly asking when I would return to work,” said Amini.
“This gave me hope and confidence that all will be well, and now that I am ready for work, I owe my recovery to her,” he said.
Ummu-Kulkum is not the only one on Amini’s “to-thank” list as he hopes to repay his paymasters, Ngezi Platinum, for their endless support.
“After I sustained the injury, I was approached by some people saying that I should be given compensation and that could have marked the end of my career.
“I am grateful to what they (Ngezi) did, because I don’t think any of our local clubs could have parted with more than $15 000 in medical bills to help an employee.
“The only way, I know, is through helping the team to win the championship,” said
Amini.