Former Manchester City captain Andy Morrison has shared an encouraging update on his health following his struggle with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, a neurological condition he revealed earlier this year. Morrison, 56, has returned to his co-commentary work, signaling progress in his recovery.
Morrison expressed his enjoyment at being back on matchday coverage for Manchester City, noting that his voice felt strong enough for co-commentary after a five-and-a-half-month hiatus. "It was fantastic to be back," he stated. "Felt the voice was strong enough to go back and do co-commentary today. That's my first time back in five-and-a-half months."
He acknowledged minor challenges during the broadcast, mentioning a struggle with a few words and names, but described the overall experience as positive. Morrison also celebrated his birthday with family and grandchildren, and a recent specialist appointment yielded highly positive results.
"I had a specialist on Wednesday and it was really positive, he was really delighted and amazed at the progress I had made, from House-Brackmann (nerve grading scale) six to a four," Morrison said. The specialist expressed optimism that within a year, Morrison could regain full eye function, potentially eliminating the need to tape his eye shut at night.
While Morrison still experiences difficulty swallowing and has lost taste on one side of his face, requiring him to drink through a straw, he remains determined. "He wasn't sure just how much that would progress because it's still really weak. But if sucking through a straw is worst case scenario then so be it," he stated.
Morrison, who made 47 appearances for Manchester City after joining in 1998 and helped the club achieve promotion, described his recovery journey as arduous. He previously revealed that it could take up to a year for him to fully recover and that he had experienced difficult periods, including being unable to leave his bed for four weeks and unable to speak for a month. Despite these challenges, he maintained a positive outlook.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is caused by a viral infection of the facial nerve, potentially leading to facial paralysis, blistering rashes, severe earache, and hearing loss.