Woodstock ~ Joni Mitchell
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The Canadian singer has had her unfair share of health problems. When she was nine, Mitchell lost her ability to walk due to polio. But a more recent condition, which left her needing hospital treatment, “took away a lot more”.
Mitchell, whose albums – from Clouds in 1969 to Blue in 1971 – made her world-famous, was sent to hospital in March 2015 with a brain aneurysm.
Other than a website statement at the time that said she was “resting comfortably” and making “good progress”, the world didn’t hear much from Mitchell for several years.
However, a recent interview with The Guardian revealed that she had been “inching along” to recovery.
“I haven’t been writing recently. I haven’t been playing my guitar or the piano or anything,” she said.
“No, I’m just concentrating on getting my health back,” added Mitchell.
A brain aneurysm, which is caused by weakness in the walls of your blood vessels, is when a bulb develops in one of these vessels.
Blood that passes through the weak areas of the blood vessel causes a small area to bulge like a balloon.
If the bulge bursts, it can become life-threatening and cause a lot of brain damage and severe symptoms.
Mitchell described how the condition affected her ability to walk–something she compared to the effects of Polio.
“Once again I couldn’t walk. I had to learn how again. I couldn’t talk,” she said.
“Polio didn’t grab me like that, but the aneurysm took away a lot more, really. Took away my speech and my ability to walk.
“I got my speech back quickly, but the walking I’m still struggling with. But I mean, I’m a fighter. I’ve got Irish blood! So you know, I knew, ‘Here I go again, another battle.'”
If doctors think there is a high risk of aneurysm bursting, they may perform surgery on aneurism.
The singer’s recovery hasn’t been a straightforward one. She added that she was “showing slow improvement but moving forward”.
An aneurysm can occur anywhere in the blood vessels although it is most common in the brain or the artery that takes blood away from the heart.
In most cases, the condition won’t show symptoms unless it bursts.
The symptoms of a life-threatening burst aneurysm include a sudden headache that causes blinding pain, a stiff neck, and sickness and vomiting, according to the NHS.
A burst aneurysm is known medically as a subarachnoid haemorrhage.
The health body recommends responding quickly to one of these haemorrhages.
“If you think someone has had a brain haemorrhage that could be caused by a ruptured aneurysm, call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance,” states the NHS.
Source: Read Full Article