Botman has been sidelined for eight months due to an ACL injury.
"It's easy to say I could've had (surgery) earlier but if you're in the moment, you know your body well," Botman told newcastleunited.com.
"When I first had the injury, I actually played a few games afterwards and felt fine in those. At the other end, you have to make a choice of feeling fine or having rehab for eight months or so. It was quite hard to make that decision in that moment.
"I had some problems before but, for me personally, it wasn't enough to have surgery. I was struggling with my knee and after the Man City game, I knew it was over for me. I think, for one reason, it might have been good that it happened so I'm now over that and it's done."
He also said, "It's definitely the longest time I've been out.
"I don't think there's any other injuries where you're out for as long as that. It's been a physical challenge but also a mental one. The first few weeks were fine after I went back home (to Amsterdam) for rehab and training. I then went to a training centre in Portugal for a few weeks and you then close yourself down from being around the team.
"From the moment I returned to Newcastle, it became really hard in terms of seeing the guys going outside for training and always having to work on your own, running by yourself on a different pitch to your teammates. You always have one eye on them, which was difficult.
"After a few weeks of rehab, you'd feel really positive about everything and then be really negative for a few weeks, struggling mentally. It was quite a tough ride but, at the end, it does make you stronger."
Botman concluded: "Playing football is something I love to do and when you're injured for such a long time, you feel like you're standing still when other people are moving forward.
"I cannot wait for that moment when I'm back on the pitch and playing in our stadium with the team. I remember when I came back from rehab for my knee in November, which was around three months, so it should be even more amazing than that this time around."
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