Madonna’s Health Scare Was So Much Worse Than Everyone Knew

Madonna spent a total of 48 hours in a medically induced coma while undergoing treatment for a bacterial infection back in June. During her Celebration World Tour, she revealed new details about her situation in front of the audience at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

She had to postpone the concert tour this summer after being admitted to an intensive care unit as a result of an infection she contracted. “I was in an induced coma for 48 hours,” was heard in a video of Madonna’s statement, which was recorded by a fan. Then she thanked her Kabbalah teacher, who was with her in the hospital while she was undergoing treatment. “The only voice I heard was his. I heard him say, ‘Squeeze my hand.’”

In her speech, she went on to say, “When I first became conscious and I saw my six incredible children sitting around me — by the way, I had to almost die to get all my kids in one room.”

Madonna opened up about her hospitalization following a segment where she credited a friend in the audience named Shavawn for saving her life after she passed out. “There are some very important people in the room tonight that were with me at the hospital. There’s one very important woman who dragged me to the hospital,” Madonna said. “I don’t even remember; I passed out on my bathroom floor and woke up in the ICU.”

On Instagram, Guy Oseary, Madonna’s talent manager and producer, said that she was expected to “make a full recovery” after she was hospitalized in June. In July, she had been scheduled to begin her current tour in Canada, but it was postponed.

Previously, Madonna expressed her guilt over the fact that her tour had been postponed in a statement. “I did not want to disappoint anyone who bought tickets for my tour. I also didn’t want to let down the people who worked tirelessly with me over the last few months to create my show. I hate to disappoint anyone. My focus now is my health and getting stronger, and I assure you, I’ll be back with you as soon as I can!” she said in July.

Her new tour dates were announced in August, with the London leg of the Celebration World Tour kicking off on Oct. 14 and the U.S. leg beginning on Dec. 13.