Matthew Perry on the mend after undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal perforation
The 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' stars often keep a low profile, but fan-favorite Chandler Bing aka Matthew Perry is back in the news. The '17 Again' star recently underwent emergency surgery for gastrointestinal perforation and is currently in hospital, recovering.
“Matthew Perry recently underwent surgery in a Los Angeles hospital to repair a gastrointestinal perforation,” a representative for the actor told People magazine in a statement. “He is grateful for the concern and asks for continued privacy as he heals,” the statement also added.
As per Healthline.com's description, Perry's condition - gastrointestinal perforation - “occurs when a hole forms all the way through the stomach, large bowel, or small intestine. It can be due to a number of different diseases, including appendicitis and diverticulitis. It can also be the result of trauma, such as a knife wound or gunshot wound."
Perry's condition doesn't come as a shocker as the 48-year-old actor has been quite open about his health struggles in the past, including his battle with alcohol and Vicodin that has been ongoing for years now. “I couldn’t stop,” he told People back in 2013. “Eventually things got so bad that I couldn’t hide it, and then everybody knew.”
Back in 2015, he had opened up to The Hollywood Reporter in a video for Phoenix House, a California-based treatment center, saying: “You can’t have a drug problem for 30 years and then expect to have it be solved in 28 days.”
He also went on to describe his journey towards recovery and finally achieving sobriety, saying: “At Phoenix House, I was very moved by the hope that I saw there, which is what this is all about. Getting sober is a really hard thing to do.”
But then again, in June 2015, when the treatment center had presented him with that year's Phoenix Rising Award, he had very modestly laughed off the honor, about which he told Hollywood Reporter: “I’m an award-winning alcoholic. I shouldn’t be getting an award; Phoenix House should be getting an award.”
In Perry's own words, his inherent notoriety is channeled towards helping other people - that is, fellow addicts - towards their goal of sobriety, as much as he can. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life," he said. "I’ve learned a lot from my failures, but the best thing about me is if an alcoholic comes up to me and says: ‘Can you help me stop drinking?’ I can say, ‘Yes.'"