Bret Michaels Rushed to ICU with Brain Hemorrhage

[princess 1,711]

Bret Michaels Rushed to ICU with Brain Hemorrhage

By Anne Marie Cruz

 

Friday April 23, 2010 04:35 PM EDT

people.com

 

Bret Michaels's health has taken a turn for the worse, PEOPLE has learned: After an excruciating headache late Thursday night, the star was rushed to an undisclosed hospital where doctors discovered he suffered a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding at the base of his brain stem), according to a source close to the situation.

 

Michaels, 47, is currently in critical condition. "After several CAT scans, MRIs and an angiogram, [doctors] decided to keep Michaels in the ICU and are running several tests to determine the cause. [it] will be touch and go for the next few days while he is under intense observation," the source says.

 

The rocker's latest hospital visit follows his emergency appendectomy in San Antonio, Texas, on April 12. There is no word yet whether this new development is related to the rocker's recent appendectomy or to his diabetes.

 

After his appendectomy, Michaels remained in the hospital under his doctors' care – then transferred to a rehab facility specializing in diabetic patients.

 

As he was recovering, Michaels – who was still in the running to win this season of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice – seemed to be in good spirits and updated fans on his progress.

 

"They told me that if I had gone on stage like I wanted to, [my appendix] likely would have ruptured and I could have died," he wrote in a note to his fans. "There is just no way around the fact that getting your appendix out HURTS. I have a pretty good threshold for pain, but this one hurts."

[rastyrae 9]

So sad! Has anyone been watching this season's celeb. Apprentice? (I know... ) Bret has done surprisingly well so far, he seems to work harder than anyone else.

[Persiaa 0]

How awful-I hope he can recover. He's shown himself to be really likable on the Apprentice. He's a bit scattered, but very creative.

[Hihomumio 168]

If the reports are accurate, he's in big trouble. Brain stem injuries are bad news.

[Kath 153]

Awwww, that's sad. He has 2 little girls, I think. He needs to loosen his bandana and give that brainstem some room to breath and heel. Best of luck to him in this... fingers crossed.

[Baby Doll 77]

Sad. He's really good to his fans. And he does have two young daughters.

[MC 1]

From Twitter this morning:

 

(billybush)

 

Rumor going around Bret Michaels has passed. According to his rep, its NOT true. Don't believe it. Web a scary place, stay w/ us #ahcom

[ElleDriver 0]

Bret Michaels Speaking "Slow," Moving Arms, Hands, Says Dad

 

 

 

Bret Michaels' father Wally Sychak says he's spoken to his son, 47, who remains in critical condition after suffering a brain hemorrhage last week.

 

"The fact that he was talking to me, and giving me information, I thought that was great," Sychak tells Extra.

 

On the phone, Michaels "sounded a little slow, but fine," says Sychak. "He was talking, not as cheerful as he usually is. But I guess he is under sedation. But he understood what he was saying and knew me. Everything seemed good that way."

 

Sychak says the former Poison front man also is starting to move his limbs again. "They say he's moving his arms and hands," he says. "The best as they could expect at this time."

 

A rep for Michaels tells UsMagazine.com the rocker remains "under intense observation from doctors and staff. He's on a lot of medication, and going through all these tests ... they're still trying to figure out why this occurred. Doctors are seeing all the tests, hoping the worst is over."

 

Meanwhile, the rocker's pals are praying for the best.

 

What's happened to him is "just hideous," his Celebrity Apprentice costar Sharon Osbourne told Us Monday at the NBC Universal Summer Press Day in Pasadena, Calif. "It's devastating, and it makes you feel all these different feelings. Your heart goes out to his family, your heart goes out to him. He's the nicest guy in the world. And then you start thinking about your own mortality. You start thinking, Oh my God. It just makes you appreciate how lucky we all are."

[dixiedoodah 1,003]

Report: Bret Michaels to Undergo Surgery

Apr 27, 2010 02:22 PM ETby Joyce Eng

 

Bret Michaels will undergo surgery to relieve swelling around his brain, according to Entertainment Tonight.

 

Bret Michaels in critical condition after suffering brain hemorrhage

 

A source close to Michaels' family told ET that the 47-year-old rocker and Celebrity Apprentice contestant will undergo the surgery soon, as his condition has deteriorated since suffering a brain hemorrhage Thursday, ET reported.

 

Calls and e-mails to Michaels' rep were not immediately returned.

 

Trump: Bret Michaels' "prognosis is not great"

 

As of Monday morning, Michaels remained in the ICU under 24-hour care while doctors continued testing to locate the source of his bleeding, according to an update on his Facebook page.

[dixiedoodah 1,003]

From a few minutes ago on his Facebook site:

 

Bret Michaels Medical Update 4/27/10Share.. Today at 6:19pm

Test results indicate a setback in Bret Michaels condition a side effect from the brain hemorrhage called hyponatremia a lack of sodium in the body which leads to seizures.

 

Bret Michaels was the topic of Larry King Live as Donald Trump, Jr. and other celebrities weigh in on Michaels condition. Due to the severity of his condition, Bret Michaels continues to remain hospitalized in an intensive care unit at an undisclosed hospital. He remains in critical but stable condition according to his doctors. Last night on Larry King Live Bret Michaels condition was the topic on the show as Donald Trump, Jr., Darryl Strawberry, Sanjay Gupta and Carlos Diaz discuss concerns, lasting affects as well Michaels as a person. Donald Trump, Jr. stated that "Bret is very likable guy, down to earth and a solid person." He stated "out of all the people from 'Celebrity Apprentice,' I may have had the best kind of off-camera relationship with him over the three years." Trump, Jr. also says he is a great father and rocker and concerned for the singers health. Strawberry who starred on Celebrity Apprentice with Michaels says he is a good friend on and off camera. He is a hard worker and is a creative force on the show. Without a doubt he lives a crazy lifestyle and he wishes him a speedy recovery. Carlos Diaz who is a Radio Host and Entertainment Correspondent says Michaels is "a star that transcends several generations." He has reinvented his career, both on "Rock of Love" and "Celebrity Apprentice" as well as his music. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is CNN's chief medical correspondent says a subarachnoid hemorrhage is an aneurysm in one of the blood vessels. He stated about 10 percent of people don't survive. He obviously survived that. About another quarter of people don't make it through the first couple of days in the hospital and 30 percent make a full recovery.

 

Michaels' medical workup demonstrated findings of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a type of stroke that causes bleeding in the fluid-filled spaces around the base of the brain. It presents itself suddenly as the sound of a loud gunshot or thunderclap at the back of the head causing severe cranial pain and muscle spasms. Many people are speculating Michaels head injury suffered from a prop striking the singer at the Tony awards last June is the cause. Additional studies are planned throughout the week to hopefully detect the exact cause of the rupture. Coupled with the fact that Michaels is a lifelong Type 1 diabetic and has recently undergone emergency appendectomy surgery while on tour in San Antonio, he will remain monitored closely by his medical team to make sure no complications occur from the diabetes.

 

The most common cause of this condition is a spontaneous rupture of a cerebral aneurysm, however, 15 to 20 percent of spontaneous episodes of this hemorrhage are found to have no cause. Michaels has undergone a continuous series of tests while in the ICU including angiograms, CT scans, MRI’s and transcranial dopplers (TCD's). Doctors state Michaels is very lucky as his condition could have been fatal. With further testing and rehabilitation, they are hopeful that Bret will gradually improve as the blood surrounding the brain dissolves and is reabsorbed into his system, which can be a very painful recovery and take several weeks to months. Michaels remains under 24-hour observation in the ICU and is in positive spirits. He is responding well to tests and treatments. Even though today was a minor setback Doctors remain hopeful for a full recovery and plan to release more specific information next Monday.

[KikiTopaz 34]

My thoughts and prayers are with Brett, his family and the medical staff overseeing his care. Let's all hope this turns around quickly and he can recover.

[ElleDriver 0]

Doctor: Bret Leaves Hospital, Will Recover

 

 

Though his doctor says he's "still very sick right now," Bret Michaels is out of the hospital, in stable condition and on the road to a full recovery.

 

"Mr. Michaels was indeed a lucky person, a very lucky person," Dr. Joseph Zabramski said at a press conference Tuesday at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, where the rocker had been receiving treatment.

 

Michaels, 47, was discharged recently, less than two weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage April 21. Zabramski could not release details of when he left the hospital or where he's receiving additional treatment because of federal privacy laws.

 

"He's improving," says Zabramski. "I really expect that he will fortunately make a 100 percent recovery. He's just one of those lucky people – 10 to 20 percent who make a complete recovery and can resume all of their normal activities."

 

RELATED: Doctor: Bret Michaels 'Has An Unbelievable Fight in Him'

 

Zabramski, a neurosurgeon at Barrow, one of the country's top brain surgery facilities, said Michaels's medical team will continue to monitor his vital signs and neurological status "very closely" for the next few weeks while he also receives physical therapy.

Shows Determination

"He's still very sick right now [but] he's a very determined person," Zabramski, who previously praised Michaels's "sheer will to live", told reporters, adding that he is walking on his own and "his level of consciousness [has] returned to what we call normal."

 

When Michaels was rushed to the intensive care unit April 22, Zabramski said the singer, whom he described as lethargic and having slurred speech, underwent a CAT scan and two angiograms to check for the source of bleeding, though he did not need to have an operation.

 

Based on the tests, "We're pretty confident he does not have an aneurysm or other problems with his blood vessels that could result in a recurrent hemorrhage," said Zabramski.

 

In addition to the side-effect hyponatremia, which can lead to seizures (Michaels's doctor said he has not had any), the rocker has been suffering from back pain and increased spasms – because as a diabetic, he has not been able to take certain medications.

 

Zabramski said doctors will usually give patients steroids to lessen the pain but they can also "make glucose levels go out of control so unfortunately [bret has] had to suffer."

 

Before leaving the hospital, the Poison frontman – whose signature style includes bandanas – received another head piece to add to his collection. His medical team gave him a signed dark blue head scarf with the Barrow logo, a hospital spokesperson tells PEOPLE.

 

And while Michaels competed on Celebrity Apprentice to raise money for the American Diabetes Association, the lifelong Type 1 diabetic now has another cause: Serving on the Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center's advisory board.

 

The singer told the foundation he has had passion for brain research after a relative suffered from a fatal brain tumor.

[rastyrae 9]

From TMZ:

 

Bret Michaels blames the 2009 Tony Awards for causing the brain hemorrhage that nearly killed him ... after he was whacked in the head by a piece of scenery while performing on the show.

 

Michaels has filed a lawsuit against Tony Award Productions, CBS and others ... blaming producers for not instructing him on how to safely exit the stage after his performance was over ... because while he tried to exit, he was "smacked" in the face by a piece of the set.

 

In the suit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, Michaels claims he had to be hospitalized for a broken nose and a cut lip.

 

Six months after the awards, Bret nearly died from a subarachnoid brain hemorrhage -- and the rocker insists it was NO coincidence.

 

In his suit, Michaels claims, "One of the most common causes of this type of hemorrhage is head trauma -- exactly like the one Michaels suffered at the hands of the Tony Awards."

 

Michaels notes, "Through his sheer will to live, to see his children grow up, [he] was able to survive this trauma."

 

Bret says producers have "failed and refused" to remedy the situation ... and even blamed him for the mishap at the Tony Awards, claiming he "missed his mark."

 

Michaels is suing for unspecified damages. A rep for the Tonys had no comment.

****************************************************************************

 

So. I am a pretty recent Michaels' fan. I think there is only one of his songs I like and that is probably because my cheesy husband serenaded me with it before we got married. I just really like his TV persona. I also must admit that I am not a very sue-happy individual either. What do you guys think about this lawsuit? Most of the comments I browsed on the sites that this story were posted were negative towards Bret and the lawsuit. I don't really think that it is his fault that a piece of scenery came down and whacked him. I've also had a relative that was in a (dumb no helmet) riding accident where they were fine until being hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage 3 months later. The DR. told her that there was no way the hemorrhage was not related to the previous accident. This is why in my opinion Bret has a valid point. What do any of you think?

[dixiedoodah 1,003]

I have to imagine his medical bills are astronomical at this point and I also have to imagine he isn't making Madonna money. Especially since this suit came so much later, I think he's trying to pay his ongoing medical bills.

[tyler 408]

I have to imagine his medical bills are astronomical at this point and I also have to imagine he isn't making Madonna money. Especially since this suit came so much later, I think he's trying to pay his ongoing medical bills.

 

ummm, I don't think so -- those medical bills would be coming due regardless of a lawsuit -- more than trying to recoup the medical expenses, he is probably going after damages, such as lost income due to the cancellation of shows, etc.

 

As a long time diabetic, I am willing to bet that Bret has excellent insurance (injectible insulin, needles and test equipment are not cheap) --

[Maxiemom 623]

I'm sure Bret's insurance company will eventually want their pound of flesh in relation to any medical bills that might get sent their way and will go after the producers on their own should it come down to that.

 

I suspect it's about clearing his own name in regards to the producers allegations that the accident was Bret's fault...and of course, the damages.

Edited March 28, 2011 by Maxiemom