Overview
- After about a month in intensive care at Sanatorio Mater Dei, 82-year-old Gelblung was discharged and has resumed studio appearances in a wheelchair, where colleagues greeted him with applause and a toast.
- He says a thrombosis in his ankle triggered a cardiovascular crisis that required interventions, including the placement of two stents in one leg to restore blood flow.
- Gelblung described a tense clinical debate in which a vascular surgeon worked to save his foot while a traumatologist argued for amputation, with doctors weighing cuts below or above the knee.
- He criticized the first doctor who treated him for telling him he was 'knocking on heaven’s door' and said he had been willing to accept losing his foot if that was necessary to save his life.
- Gelblung plans a gradual return to work while recovering and his testimony has focused public attention on high-stakes surgical choices and post‑ICU rehabilitation for older patients.