Singaporean actor Thomas Ong has had to cut short a 45-day trip to Japan after fracturing his right ankle.
The 57-year-old, who has returned to Singapore, shared on Facebook late on Nov 1 a photo of himself in a wheelchair following the injury in Japan.
He did not specify the location of the accident, only telling Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao in a text reply on Nov 2 that he had gone primarily to “remote and sparsely populated areas” during the trip to Japan.
Ong recalled that there was a light drizzle on Oct 25, the day of the accident. He was walking down wet stone steps after taking photos of a waterfall when he slipped.
“I thought at that time that it was just a minor sprain,” he told Zaobao. “I didn’t realise the injury was more serious than I’d imagined.”
Despite the pain, the actor drove himself to a local hospital, where an X-ray revealed a fracture in his right ankle.
The doctor gave him two options, Ong said on Facebook on Nov 1.
“The first was to have an operation to insert a metal plate to stabilise the fracture, after which I would be able to move about fairly freely in just over two weeks,” he wrote in Chinese.
“The second was to avoid surgery, have a cast fitted and let the bone heal gradually on its own. Whichever option I chose, the doctor said, I would need about six weeks to recover.”
Ong did a quick mental calculation when he heard “six weeks”.
“I was injured on Oct 25, and I am due to lead a tour group in Europe on Dec 7,” he wrote, adding that it worked out to be exactly six weeks. “At that moment, I didn’t actually feel unlucky; instead, I felt a sense of gratitude I couldn’t quite put into words.”
The actor said he might not have been able to lead the tour in Europe had the accident occurred two weeks later.
“Of course, a fracture is never a good thing,” he wrote. “But looking back, although this planned 40-plus-day trip to Japan was cut short after only about 10 days, I had already seen plenty of beautiful scenery and enjoyed more than my fair share of local delicacies.”
Having previously lived alone, the bachelor has moved in with his family for the time being due to his mobility issues.
The actor quipped that the souvenirs he has brought back from Japan this time are two crutches.
“For now, I’ll stay at home, rest, catch up on some shows and let my bones heal gradually,” he wrote. “I’ve chosen not to have surgery or wear a cast; I’ll simply take it easy and let the bones heal on their own.”
He added: “See you next year, Japan.”
