It’s been nearly four months since Mary Lou Retton faced life-threatening pneumonia in public, but the harrowing experience received even more media attention because she didn’t have insurance at the time. It attracted attention. The legendary gymnast is now on the mend and ready to open up about her recent health scare.
in today In an interview with Hoda Kotb published Monday, the former Olympian, who became the first American gymnast to win an individual all-around gold medal in 1984, expanded on her unexpected diagnosis. One of the things that surprised her most about her experience, she said, was that she had “never had a lung problem in her life.” “The day before [being hospitalized]we had our nails done,” Retton, who was sitting next to her daughter in the interview, told Kotb.
as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention He explains that pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi that can be life-threatening in some cases. Retton’s early symptoms included what she thought were common signs of aging, such as fatigue and shortness of breath. But the next day, she realized that Retton was in an even more dire situation. “I literally laid down on her bedroom floor and said, ‘I can’t do this…’ She couldn’t breathe,” she recalls. Fortunately, her neighbor noticed Ms. Retton’s car door left open in the driveway, so she checked on her and immediately drove her to the hospital. .
Retton’s health condition was so abnormal that even doctors didn’t take it as seriously as they should, she said. “I wasn’t receiving any treatment,” Retton recalled, adding that she was initially only hospitalized for “a few days” and then she was discharged. “I kept saying, ‘I can’t breathe,'” she said. Then, as soon as she got home, she noticed that Retton’s daughter was largely unresponsive, so she rushed her to another hospital. That’s when doctors finally realized how bad the situation was, as Retton’s oxygen levels continued to drop to dangerously low levels.
Retton tearfully told Kotub about a week later that her family was told to prepare for the worst. “They were saying goodbye to me,” she said through tears. “[Doctors] They almost put me on life support. ” Fortunately, a last-ditch effort to administer oxygen through Retton’s nose prevented him from being put on a ventilator. “I’m so grateful to be here. I’m so happy to be here,” she said.
To this day, doctors say they still do not know the cause of Retton’s pneumonia, as she tested negative for coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). But one thing she is sure of is that she is a true champion both on and off the balance beam. “I’m a fighter,” Retton said. “I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t know if my lung problems will last… I wish I had an answer, but I’m never going to give up. It’s not in me.”
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