Famous singer Toni Braxton revealed she was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 2008, and it led to a serious, life-threatening condition that required immediate surgery in September.
Braxton said she began experiencing chest pain shortly after the death of her sister, and she assumed it was due to the devastating loss she was struggling to cope with, according to her recent interview with People. The singer was accustomed to routinely getting tested to ensure her lupus was under control, but had fallen behind on her testing.
At the insistence of her doctor she underwent some tests which revealed there was an 80% blockage in the left main artery of her heart. “The doctors told me I could’ve had a massive heart attack, I would not have survived,” Braxton said to People.
.@tonibraxton is still THAT girl 💕 pic.twitter.com/P4GZY2rICd
— MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) April 24, 2023
“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 specialized test and they looked at my heart and saw some abnormalities,” Braxton said.
“I found out that I needed a coronary stent,” she told People.
The singer had no idea there was something so serious happening to her health. “It was a traumatic moment for me. I was in shock,” she said.
“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,’” she said. It turned out she had underlying issues that required immediate intervention.
Braxton underwent surgery two days after receiving her results, and a stent was put in to help keep the passageway in her heart open, according to People. The star remained in the hospital for a few days following the procedure.
Toni Braxton says she misinterpreted her chest pain thinking it was from the sadness she felt after losing her sister. 💔https://t.co/Bbcl3QyjGc
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) April 25, 2023
“It was really a scary moment,” she said. “Had I not gotten that test, my life would’ve been different.”
Braxton doesn’t fall behind on tests anymore, and has new perspective. (RELATED: Harry Belafonte Dead At 96)
“If all I have to do for my lupus and my kidney health is pee in a cup, I can pee in a cup,” she said.
“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?” she said to People.