LaMarcus Aldridge: Trail Blazers Star Was in Hospital with Blood Virus

LaMarcus Aldridge knows how lucky he is to be walking, talking, writing and even alive. He recently contracted a blood virus that could have had deadly results.

UPDATE: Sunday June 3, 8:55 p.m. ET by Austin Green

After talking about his trip to the hospital (below), Aldridge tweeted some good news Sunday evening.

"

Some reports have suggested I have a disease and that's not accurate. I was bit by a insect that caused me to get a infection. I'm fine now.

— Lamarcus Aldridge(@aldridge_12) June 3, 2012"

This is a promising development for Blazers fans, as it means this was more of a freak accident than a recurring issue. Aldridge should be perfectly healthy next season, assuming his hip rehab goes according to plan.

----------End of Update-------

Aldridge talked about the incident on a blog entitled LA's Rehab Central, maintained on blogs.trailblazers.com:

"

On Saturday I came down with a blood virus. I quickly became sick and had to be rushed to the hospital. I thought it was a case of bad food or a bad cold, but I was wrong.  It turned out to be a very serious virus that if not treated quickly could actually be deadly!

"

The blog was designed to allow fans to follow Aldridge's summer process as he rehabs from hip surgery. Aldridge personally posts updates on his hip here, but as you read, things got far more serious with this ailment. The virus was treated, and Aldridge was released from the hospital. He is now able to resume his basketball related rehab.

The Blazers star certainly has his priorities straight. Throughout his entire blog entry about the virus, he never once mentions basketball specifically.

This is because he understands how serious his illness was, and that a basketball career is nothing when faced with losing the basic activities many of us take for granted.

It's great to see him rehabbing his injury, and feeling better overall. There is nothing like potential tragedy to remind us how precious life and basic health are.

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