Grammy award-winning singer Toni Braxton. Picture: Instagram
Toni Braxton has successfully conquered a severe and life-threatening health crisis, which stemmed from her struggle with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the prevalent type of lupus.
Lupus is an auto-immune disorder where the immune system wrongly identifies healthy tissues as foreign substances and attacks them instead of fighting harmful viruses and bacteria.
This leads to inflammation that can impact various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs.
The Spanish Guitar singer took to Instagram to reveal health battle with lupus complications and heart surgery to her fans.
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The 55-year-old vocalist, who has been coping with SLE since 2008, disclosed during an interview with People that in September she went through a medical operation due to a blockage of 80% in her hearts’ primary artery.
Toni Braxton has been hospitalised many times because of lupus, so she knows it’s important to get routine urine and blood tests to check how the disease is affecting her body.
However, she admits that she forgot to take these tests last year.
“I kept putting it off thinking, ‘Oh, I’m fine. I’ll be okay.’ But my doctor was persistent and I went to get tested in the last week of September.
“I did a specialised test and they looked at my heart and saw some abnormalities and I found out that I needed a coronary stent.
“My left main coronary artery was 80% blocked. The doctors told me I could’ve had a massive heart attack, I would not have survived,” Explained Braxton.
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The singer of ‘Unbreak My Heart’ describes how she was taken aback by the occurrence of relapses and how disturbing it was for her.
“It was a traumatic moment for me. I was in shock. I remember that day because my chest was aching often, just hurting and I thought I was just sad because unfortunately my sister [Traci Braxton] had just passed and I thought, ‘Wow, I’m really aching in my heart for my sister.’
“And come to find out, of course I was sad about my sister, but I also had underlying health issues. It was my body talking to me, telling me something’s not quite right,” said Braxton during an interview.
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Just 48 hours after undergoing screening tests, Braxton was rushed into emergency surgery.
Braxton received a stent, ( a small tube that is placed inside a narrowed or weakened artery) to help keep the passageway open.
After the procedure, she stayed in the hospital for a few days to recover.
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Braxton acknowledges that recollecting the event brings up emotions for her, but she is thankful that the circumstance did not culminate in a deadly heart attack.
According to the Grammy winner, the incident was a frightening moment, and had she not taken the test, her life would have turned out differently.
“I look at it like it was a blessing in disguise for me because now, putting off tests? Oh no, I will not put off tests and If all I have to do for my lupus and my kidney health is pee in a cup, I can pee in a cup.
“How many times do you need me to pee? If all I gotta do is get my arm pricked for some blood? Oh yes, I can do that. How many vials do you need?,” said Braxton.
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This scary experience became an eye-opener for Toni Braxton, which led to her to partner with ‘Get Uncomfortable’ campaign, which is aimed at inspiring and motivating individuals who have lupus and lupus nephritis.
Braxton highlights that Black and Asian women are at a fourfold greater risk of developing lupus nephritis, and individuals with this condition are three times more likely to die.
“It’s important to get those screenings, simple things and the goal here is long life and old age.
“I know we’re all scared sometimes to go to the doctor, especially for me having lupus, I was scared, I didn’t want to know , but I find that knowing is empowering and it gets my doctors on top of my lupus and my kidney health,” added the musician.
Braxton mentioned that she now undergoes testing every three months.
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