Eddie Howe has revealed that without the intervention of Newcastle’s club doctor his pneumonia health scare could have had a different outcome.
The head coach was suffering from a fever and was poorly in bed at his Northumberland home when Paul Catterson made the decision to visit him on the evening of Friday April 11.
Howe was told he needed to go to hospital, where he remained for several nights after being diagnosed with pneumonia. The 47-year-old only returned to the club’s training ground on Wednesday after more than two weeks away, during which time he missed three matches.
And speaking for the first time on Friday, he detailed the seriousness of the situation.
‘I felt really bad, but I didn’t know how bad,’ said Howe. ‘Like most men, you don’t necessarily offer yourself to doctors and you think you’ll be OK in a couple of days, I’ll fight through it. I’m very much in that mindset.
‘I was very thankful that the doctor here, Paul Catterson, acted quickly. Without that quick intervention, then it possibly could have had a different outcome. I’m very lucky in the job that I’m in that I have very good people I can reach out to.
Eddie Howe was on media duties on Friday morning after his recent pneumonia scare
Howe has revealed how club doctor Paul Catterson’s (right) ‘quick intervention’ prevented a ‘different outcome’
Jason Tindall stepped in to cover for Howe as he was forced to miss three matches
‘Paul came to see me at home and it was him taking some blood tests that highlighted what the problem was and how serious it was. Without his care and without him wanting to come and visit me… because it wasn’t me going to him, it was him coming to me. That is why I consider myself very fortunate to have that.’
He added: ‘This has brought a sharper focus to what is important in your life. It brings clarity, the people who really care about you and will be there in any moment. None of us know how long we’re going to be on the planet for and how long we’re going to be able to enjoy what we’re doing. I’m in a fantastic job that I absolutely love, with people I love working with. It’s trying to make the most of that time in my life, and that’s what I plan to do.’
Howe had taken charge of Newcastle’s 3-0 win at Leicester on April 7, but he knew his health had deteriorated when he was unable to return ahead of the visit of Manchester United on April 13.
‘The Leicester game, I felt awful,’ he said. ‘I planned to come back into training before the Man United game and I got out of bed, had a shower, and was going through the process of, ‘I’ve got to go’… and I couldn’t. Something was telling me no and I had to go back to bed. That was the moment things changed.
‘The symptoms were strange because there was no massive standout symptom. That was probably what made it difficult to push for help initially. I just wanted to sleep. I did have a fever and quite a high temperature, but you just think it’s something that you’ll sleep off.
‘I was actually pleased to be told to go to hospital. Subconsciously, I knew that was the right place for me, although I hadn’t quite worked that out myself. If you are feeling that bad for a period of time, my message to everybody is don’t suffer in silence. Seek people who can help you and that is a really, really important message.’
It was late on the Friday evening when Howe was admitted, and he recalled: ‘I got a lift there and just walked in normally. I say walked in, I probably crawled in normally. I was delighted to be there because I thought, ‘This is where I need to be to get better’. Instinctively, I sort of knew.
Howe will be on the touchline this weekend, but has admitted he is still not back to his best
‘That is when the staff greet you and take you, you feel a sense of relief. Then it’s a case of trying to work out what is wrong and what you need to do to get better. When you get the diagnosis, as frightening as the word pneumonia is, it is a bit of relief because you know what it is and can hopefully get the right treatment and return to normal.
‘The care that I received from the NHS was absolutely first class. A big thank you to Charlotte Milne and all her staff who looked after me. I can’t thank them enough.’
Howe will take charge of the team when Ipswich come to St James’ Park on Saturday. And, of his current health, he said: ‘I’m not 100 per cent in my body but I’d like to think I’m close to 100 per cent in my mind, which is the most important thing. This has been a real challenge. You take your health for granted. Then, when you don’t have luxury of being normal, it can be very difficult.
‘What I do envisage changing from my perspective is just a little bit more care towards myself, a little bit more thought towards what I am doing. I do believe I lead a really healthy lifestyle, so there is no issue there. It’s more a case of giving myself a little more love if I can.’
