Jayson Tatum Appears To Be In Good Spirits But Seeing Him In His Hospital Bed Following Achilles Surgery Is Absolutely Soul Crushing

Brian Babineau. Getty Images.

I promise, at some point I'll be able to move on and stop blogging about Jayson Tatum's potentially career altering injury…..but today is not that day. Things are still way too fresh considering it's only been like 48 hours. At least I think that's how long it's been. Everything in life has been a haze ever since it happened. Days, time, it's all a blur.

I also don't think I'm alone here. I think this is how everyone feels, or at least people who give a shit about this stuff. It's all so surreal. Just think about the juxtaposition of what has happened today. On the anniversary to the day of Jayson Tatum doing this

We're also now getting IG posts from his hospital bed following Achilles surgery. We all knew it was real, but there's something about seeing that picture that makes it really real if that makes any sense.

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I mean what a colossal kick to the goddamn dick. Again I ask, how the hell is this even real life? Just when I thought I was maybe starting to make progress in coming to grips with this reality, I see that picture, and it's immediately back to square one. 

It's all just so unfair. I'd much rather be swept by the Knicks losing every game by 40, be clowned by every sports show for an entire summer, you name it, as opposed to what we're dealing with here. As long as Tatum is healthy, that's really all that matters. To potentially lose the series, make the same changes to the roster you would have made anyway if you lost, only now you also don't get to have Jayson Tatum? God dammit.

I will say, he does seem to be enjoying the medication in that photo, so at least he's not in pain. The rest of us? Tons of pain. But that's a guy who looks like he's on another planet, and if his spirits are already up because he's high as hell, well I can't think of a better way to start this long road to recovery. The mental aspect of this rehab is so important, especially given the context in which it happened. I remember watching Boogie Cousins' HBO documentary a few years ago where he talked about his own Achilles rehab, and he went into detail about how rough the mental aspect of it was. Shit, we saw the same exact thing with Gordon Hayward and his ankle injury. 

So to be in good spirits, or at least pretend to be in good spirits for a photo op so the entire fanbase could continue overdosing on copium is a good place to start. 

It also wouldn't shock me at all if we got a shoutout video tonight for Game 5, similar to what we saw with Hayward. Get that place going NUTS, get the players amped up, and keep your season alive. Do it for Jayson