• • Sapo Caset's recovery is on the way
  • Action with Facu Pieres, US Open final
  • Sapo and Gastón Lisioli during the US Open
  • Played together in Lechuza, rivals in Palermo, Juanma Nero & Sapo Caset
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Sapo Caset's health

Good news about the much loved and talented Sapo

Complete recovery on the way

By Alejandra Ocampos

A few days ago, the entire polo world was shocked by the news. Guillermo Caset Jr., el Sapo, who had returned from the United States after taking part in the American Triple Crown, had contracted a dangerous virus and was admitted to a health clinic in Buenos Aires (namely Mater Dei) in very serious condition. 

El Sapo, the US Open finalist with Lechuza Caracas, returned from the United States with a persistent fever. What was first thought to be the flu, and probably a pulled muscle, turned out to be a bacterium (staphylococcus aureus), which had seriously affected various vital organs, mainly his heart and lungs, and therefore he spent several days in the intensive care unit in an induced coma with a guarded prognosis, while he was being treated with antibiotics to stop the infection. 

The polo world's response arrived promptly: his colleagues and friends, stayed by Sapo's and his family's side, carrying out prayer chains, contacting them on the phone, visiting him at the health clinic, and sending messages which multiplied through social networks. 

Today, the good news is that our dear Sapo is getting better, slowly, taking small steps towards his recovery. He has been taken out of a medically-induced coma and as from today he's off the ventilator. He is clearly making very positive progress, taking into account how serious the situation was. As his father, Guillermo, mentioned to PoloLine: ";We faced some very rough days: "We had an awful time. Fifteen days without knowing what was going to happen, but finally... in came the light. We are very pleased with his progress". 

Guillermo Caset Sr. explained how it all started during the US Open, with a boil on his leg below his buttock, and that's how the bacterium got in. "According to what the doctors said, the staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium commonly found on the skin, but it becomes very dangerous if it enters the bloodstream", explained Guillermo. "Well, it entered Sapo's bloodstream and grouped in his inguinal veins. He was convinced he had strained a muscle, but he was actually experiencing a thrombosis".
 

Without knowing it was a thrombosis, and thinking it was a slightly pulled muscle, el Sapo played the US Open. "After the final, he couldn't walk any longer. The bacterium grouped into a colony in his inguinal veins and spread into his lungs. Consequently, he arrived in Argentina with a 40º C fever. We thought he had the flu besides a torn muscle, but after two days with a high fever and barely able to breathe, he was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Mater Dei Health Clinic. Finally, the doctors discovered the bacterium through culture-based tests. He was hooked up to a ventilator, put into a medically-induced coma and treated with antibiotics, to which he responded very well".
 
Thank God, today his recovery is fact, and a very-moved Guillermo has nothing but words of love and gratitude for all those who stayed by Sapo's side and accompanied the entire Caset family during this difficult time. "I want to emphasise the work carried out by all the people at the Mater Dei Clinic", said Guillermo, "the intensive care unit team and the Head of the unit, Dr. Bernardo de Diego, and all, absolutely all staff members, including nurses, doctors, assistants, lab staff, the people in charge of the cleaning. They have all been and are spectacular, from the very first to the very last person who showed the kind of human warmth that deserves being emphasised".
Guillermo added: "Here goes my gratitude to the infectious disease team, led by Dr. Marcelo del Castillo and his staff. And my appreciation to Dr. Daniel Stamboulian, with whom we made a private consultation, and he then remained in contact with us. He's a modest, simple man of unique wisdom and greatness".
 
"And, of course, I want to thank the people, the polo family, all of those players who are rivals on the field, but at times like these, through a phone call, or paying a visit, when things like this happen, they are all truly by your side".

The path to Sapito's full recovery will be slow, but highly optimistic. The worst is over, and the future for a young and talented player is unbeatable. "It will be a slow recovery, so the doctors said", mentioned Guillermo; "But given his youth and his athletic fitness and health, we expect that, within said slowness, he will enjoy a rather fast recovery. The doctors calculate it will take him two or three months to be 100% recovered".