Steve: I got such a fright

2008-05-07 09:15

Philip de Bruin

Johannesburg - "I got the fright of my life. My father died 20 years ago, when he was 40, from exactly what I just underwent emergency surgery for - a perforated colon."

These were singer and actor Steve Hofmeyr's words to Beeld via a friend after the trauma, which started three days ago when the "unbearable stomach pains" started.

Hofmeyr has recovered remarkably quickly after the emergency operation on Monday and late on Tuesday he was released from the ICU of the Gauteng hospital where he was being treated.

He is now in a private ward but no visitors are allowed apart from his immediate family.

The only other person allowed to see him is the couple's old friend, Amanda Singleton.

Pain was unbearable

Singleton is also Hofmeyr's partner as co-owner of a Jacobsbaai hotel on the West Coast where Hofmeyr and his wife Natasha are to marry a second time later this year.

Beeld "spoke" to Hofmeyr through Singleton.

"I had hectic stomach pains over the past few months but it came and went. With so many things on my mind, I never went to a doctor."

"But on Saturday the pain was particularly bad and by Sunday night I couldn't stand it anymore. That is when I was brought to hospital."

"I got an enormous fright when the doctor who did the operation told me that my colon had perforated. My father died 20 years ago because of a perforated colon. He was 40 then, three years younger than what I am now".

"I started getting really nasty thoughts of dying while waiting for the operation. I am really grateful that everything went well."

He said he was still in incredible pain, but this could be expected as the operation had been serious.

He couldn't stop talking about his wife.

"Natasha is like an angel. She takes care of me with so much love. And she looks beautiful, even if she has not slept in two days."

When he was told that newspaper readers were sending their best wishes, he said he would like to send this message to Beeld readers: "Thank you very, very much. You mean so much to me. You are wonderful. Natasha and I appreciate it."

Singleton said Hofmeyr slept much due to the medication and although he was clearly in a lot of pain, he looked quite well.

"Natasha too. She is very strong. She is a formidable woman."

- Beeld