Bournemouth defender Steve Cook has revealed he was left stuck on his own stairs in "horrific pain" with a potentially career-threatening injury.
Cook, 27, spent six days in hospital in February after the discovery of an abscess on his groin.
"It was one of the worst days of my life," the centre-back told BBC Radio Solent. "I couldn't get out of bed."
Cook is continuing to take antibiotics in his recovery from the infection but hopes to return to action soon.
"I was genuinely crying in pain while stuck halfway down my stairs as I had no idea what was going on," he said.
"I was dripping with sweat and my mind wasn't there, I was being sick through the pain. It was horrific."
What began as an initial minor groin injury over the Christmas period developed into more sustained pain when Cook felt discomfort after competing for a header in training.
"It progressed quite quickly and we decided to have an injection in London. What was eventually discovered through blood tests could have ended up being more serious," he added.
"It was a really bad infection that could've cut my career short had it not been for a routine injection."
Cook last played for Bournemouth in their 3-0 defeat by Liverpool in early February, but is optimistic about featuring again before the end of the season.
"It's been a really strange couple of months for myself and a scary time for my family," he said. "In the moment, you question everything and you're thankful for the help you receive.
"Now, I just want to play football again."