Bret has reportedly suffered a mini-stroke after experiencing numbness on the left side of his body, and doctors have discovered a hole in his heart. The “warning stroke” is known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA); doctors say that they think they have diagnosed the cause of the problem and that it is both operable and treatable. Further, doctors say that they don’t believe the TIA has anything to do with Michaels’ recent hemorrhage.
The hole in the heart, or Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), will be treated; in the meantime, Bret will continue outpatient care, which includes a daily injection of Lovenox (a blood thinner to reduce the chance of blood clots) and blood tests.
From an appendectomy to brain hemorrhage to warning stroke in the space of about a month, Michaels’ just can’t get a break; fortunately, his health, positive attitude and getting prompt medical attention are contributing to his survival.
On Wednesday, Bret was on Oprah via satellite to talk about his situation – this was before the warning stroke took place.
Bret Michaels on Oprah
CelebTV report – May 19, 2010
No word on Bret’s availability for The Celebrity Apprentice finale this Sunday evening, where he was expected to compete for the top prize and $250,000 for his charity, the American Diabetes Association.
Given this recent turn of events, I can’t imagine Michaels would be cleared to fly to be in New York this weekend, so we’ll see how NBC addresses the situation; maybe Bret does the show via satellite, just like Oprah. Michaels was also planning to return to the stage on his solo concert tour next week, and it remains uncertain if he’ll be cleared by doctors for that, as well.
The Celebrity Apprentice – 3rd season finale preview
