Caley Thistle midfielder Charlie Trafford is fighting to be fit for Saturday’s Championship game at Falkirk.
Trafford suffered a concussion in last weekend’s Scottish Cup tie against Dundee and has also come down with strep throat, but is determined not to miss out.
Manager John Robertson is already short of midfielders, with Iain Vigurs and Liam Polworth suspended, meaning Trafford would likely retain his spot in the centre of the park.
The Canada international understands the seriousness of concussion and will take advice from the club’s medical staff.
He has told Robertson he will be ready to go at Falkirk and hopes nothing else will derail his career in Inverness.
Trafford said: “I know concussion is a serious thing and it’s being spoken about more and more in sports.
“You worry about it because you hear about people being out for five or six months, even having to retire.
“You have to protect your brain. The doctors are the professionals and I will take their advice but I will mix that with how I’m feeling in myself because I know how my own body feels.
“It’s just another frustrating thing. I was just laying around during the week, feeling a bit dazed and thinking ‘how is this possible?’ I would say I’m the luckiest person in the world, so this run I’ve had is uncharacteristic.
“Hopefully, I can get all this bad luck out of the way and get my regular spot back. I just have to deal with the adversity. I really hope I can play, after all that’s what I’m here for.”
Trafford was injured in a collision with Dundee defender Darren O’Dea at the start of the second half and Robertson initially feared the player had suffered a fractured cheekbone. That would have left Joe Chalmers as his only regular midfielder available for Saturday.
A broken thumb, suffered in training at the same time as captain Gary Warren suffered the same injury, hampered the 25-year-old earlier in the season following his move from Finnish side RoPS Rovaniemi. The response to his latest setback has been predictably lighthearted.
Trafford said: “I’ve had a bit of stick – I’ve had a few messages from the boys telling me to get back and when I posted a picture online of the swelling on my face, Carl Tremarco messaged me to ask how I could have come off for that.
“The swelling has gone down now and I’m still looking handsome, which is the most important thing.”