Former Manchester City captain Andy Morrison has provided an emotional update on his battle with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, a devastating neurological condition he revealed earlier this year. The 55-year-old, who led City to promotion in the late 1990s, shared a video on social media detailing his ongoing struggles and the long road to recovery.
Morrison's Health Update
In a video posted on Friday, Morrison explained that he is now at week ten of his condition. He said, 'There is a test you can do, where one is the least and six is the worst, and I'm between five and six. When you see the initial video I did, I said it could be six weeks recovery or a year. It's going to be a year. A long, long time.'
Despite the grim prognosis, Morrison noted a small positive sign: a tiny bit of movement on his affected side. 'The brain is beginning to repair the nerves. It starts there and works its way down or across,' he said.
Living with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is caused by a virus in the facial nerve, leading to ipsilateral face paralysis, blistering rashes near the ear, severe earache, and hearing loss. Morrison described his daily struggles: 'The dizziness, the vertigo and the brain fog makes you feel drunk all the time. I haven't been drunk for over 35 years.'
He admitted to experiencing fear and frustration, saying, 'I try and smile... I can't tell you how frustrating and how aggressive it makes me that I can't control it. But I think it is there to test me.'
Support and Resilience
Morrison acknowledged the positive messages he has received, but stressed the challenge of surrendering to the condition. 'I have to surrender. Get on my hands and knees and pray that God and the universe will heal eventually,' he said.
He added that he looks forward to attending Manchester City's match against Brentford, hoping for a positive result against Everton beforehand.
Morrison's Legacy at Manchester City
Morrison made 47 appearances for Manchester City after joining from Huddersfield Town in 1998. He helped guide the club to promotion to the old Division One via the playoffs in 1998-99 and then to the Premiership the following season. Voted as City's third best captain ever in the club's official magazine, he was named a club ambassador in 2013.
Concluding his update, Morrison said, 'I will dig in and do what I have to do to get back to the best possible me. I will, whatever that takes.' He plans to share another update in a few weeks.
