Vicki Gunvalson, star of ‘Real Housewives of Orange County,’ recently opened up about a terrifying health scare that almost turned fatal. What she initially thought was a stroke was actually pneumonia and sepsis, a potentially deadly overreaction of the immune system to an infection.
Gunvalson shared her experience on an episode of ‘My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast,’ where she shakily told host Christian Gray Snow about the ordeal. The reality star revealed that she had amnesia and couldn’t remember many events, explaining, ‘Michael’s going to come in when I get blank.’
On the day of the incident, Gunvalson had just gotten her hair done and went to her office. When she arrived, her boyfriend’s daughter Olivia noticed something was off, telling Gunvalson she was ‘speaking gibberish’ and that an email she was typing didn’t make sense. Luckily, a client who was an emergency room doctor suggested she might be having a stroke, prompting Olivia to take her to the hospital.
Breaking into tears, Gunvalson recounted how the hospital initially misdiagnosed her with a sinus infection and released her that night. Michael Smith, her boyfriend, took over the narrative, explaining that she had been on antibiotics for a sinus infection for about three weeks. He found her passed out in the bathtub and put her to bed, only to wake her 13-14 hours later to find her disoriented and confused. This led to another hospital visit, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia and sepsis and given a grim 10% to 20% chance of survival.
Thanks to multiple antibiotics and steroids, she’s now on the mend but still grappling with low energy. ‘I’m having a hard time getting it up. So that’s my biggest thing,’ she admitted.
Dr. Steve R. Fallek explained that sepsis occurs when an infection causes widespread inflammation, damaging multiple organ systems and potentially leading to death. Any type of infection—bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic—can cause sepsis. Symptoms can include high or low body temperature, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, extreme pain, and clammy skin.
Dr. John C. Lowe added that sepsis can happen when an unmanaged infection spreads throughout the body, causing the immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs. Conditions like pneumonia, urinary tract infections, abdominal infections, and blood infections can all lead to sepsis, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses.
If you suspect sepsis, Lowe emphasized the urgency of immediate medical attention. ‘In case there is a persistent rapid heart rate with confusion, breathlessness, or other features of sepsis, do not hesitate—either call out for an ambulance or rush to the hospital,’ he advised. ‘This is the kind of state where every second can count for life or death.’
Gunvalson’s harrowing experience underscores the importance of knowing the symptoms of sepsis and seeking immediate medical care. Sepsis is a serious medical emergency, and timely intervention can be the difference between life and death.
Source: Healthline