It’s been a bumpy road lately for Natalie Cole – the singer recently revealed she has been struggling with Hepatitis C, a disease she thinks she contracted in her drug-ridden past, and has been in and out of the hospital.
And now she has a new health battle to fight. “They told me… ‘Your lungs have filled up with fluid and your kidney is functioning at 10%,’ ” Natalie reveals to Entertainment Tonight about a recent health scare in NYC. “They would have found me either unconscious or dead. I think I was on my way out.” The “Unforgettable” singer is still battling Hepatitis C, and she’s now on dialysis.
“I was in denial that I was close to dying until after 3-4 days of being hospitalized and them putting me on dialysis,” she says. “I had a lot of time to think. The first thing I knew is that I will never work the same way again. Three hours a day, three times a week (during dialysis) I just sit there and am glad that there is something to keep me going.”
Natalie’s next step to wellness could involve a serious step – an organ transplant. “The kidneys could repair themselves, but we still don’t know,” she admits. “We’re looking at a possible transplant. My son and sister have already volunteered.”
But even with her health problems,the daughter of music legend Nat King Cole is determined to fight through it all. “I haven’t felt as good as I do today in 7 weeks. I feel really good. I’m a trooper,” she says. I’m one of those ‘the show must go on’ people! I’m a survivor. I don’t believe in giving up until the fat lady sings.”
I am so proud of Natalie Cole for coming forward & publicizing her bout with this terrible disease. So many have the idea that this is a curable disease that is not much more than having the flu. Instead it is treatable in some but curable in none & is much more serious than the flu. Were you aware that October was Liver Awareness month? Probably not but I bet you knew it was breast cancer awareness month because when you walk into any store you are bombarded with pink ribbons & products. I can relate to Ms. Cole's situation as my HCV has advanced to liver cancer at the young age of 35. I was an RN who contracted HCV from a needle stick only 7yrs. ago which is unusual since the average incubation is 20yrs for this disease. I try to educate others to let them know average doesn't mean always and HCV isn't only a drug addicts disease. Although I see way too much discrimination based on the "image" of an HCV patient & I try to let others know I am no different or better than someone who got this disease by IV drug use. Anyway, know the risk factors and GET TESTED. For more info see the American Liver Association's website at http://www.liverfoundation.org/
God Bless!