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Entertainment

Sarah Silverman Health Scare: Comedian Says She’s ‘Insanely Lucky To Be Alive’

Published on: July 7, 2016 at 12:23 PM ET
Laura Meltzer
Written By Laura Meltzer
News Writer

Sarah Silverman’s health scare has given the comedian an entirely new perspective on her life. After spending a week in an intensive care unit and undergoing surgery for “a freak case of epiglottitis,” Silverman is grateful that she’s okay, reported Fox News .

Sarah Silverman opens up after hospitalization due to “freak case” of epiglottitis https://t.co/uZFV9ljsf0 pic.twitter.com/RDLqMxpyUf

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) July 7, 2016

Initially, the crass comedian thought she was suffering from a minor sore throat. She originally didn’t intend to get medical attention, she explained in a Facebook post.

“Don’t even know why I went to the doctor, it was just a sore throat.”

Little did Silverman know, she was suffering from a life-threatening case of epiglottitis. When having this sickness, the lid of cartilage that is responsible for covering the windpipe begins to swell. Once this occurs, the flow of air from the lungs can be blocked, therefore creating a dangerous situation.

Sarah Silverman’s health scare was anything short of frightening. The comedian was forced to undergo surgery at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Not only was the emergency procedure scary enough, but Silverman was unable to fall asleep during the recovery process. Since the star’s blood pressure was incredibly low, she couldn’t be put to sleep by the medical staff at the hospital. Sarah Silverman didn’t disclose when she underwent the emergency procedure.

Sarah Silverman’s health scare was quite a harrowing experience for the comic. In a Facebook post recounting her experience, she explained that her hands needed to be restrained to prevent her from pulling out her breathing tube.

“I was drugged just enough to not feel the pain and have no idea what was happening or where I was. They had to have my hands restrained to keep me from pulling out my breathing tube.”

Silverman claims to not have much recollection of her traumatic experience. Five days after the surgery, the comedian woke up and had no idea what had happened to her. Silverman had thought she had been in some kind of life threatening collision.

“My friend Stephanie said I kept writing ‘was I in an accident?’”

Despite all that has occurred in such a short period of time, Sarah Silverman remains optimistic and humorous about her close encounter with death, reported the Huffington Post .

“I am insanely lucky to be alive.”

Silverman also shared some meaningful thoughts about her views of life, on her Facebook page. Once the comedian’s memory began to return, she explained that she had “he paralyzing realization that nothing matters.” Sarah Silverman then added that her epiphany was “followed by the motivating revelation that nothing matters.”

Hi I’ve been away at the hospital & I wrote about it ??? https://t.co/zxdhuI790A

— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) July 7, 2016

Sarah Silverman’s health scare has the star feeling incredibly grateful for her friends, family and especially the medical staff at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. On social media, she thank her boyfriend and actor Michael Sheen and friends and family for “staying by her side during the crisis.” She especially gave a shout out to the hospital staff for saving her life.

“When I woke up 5 days later I didn’t remember anything. I thanked everyone at the ICU for my life, went home, and then slowly as the opiates faded away…I owe my life to Dr. Shawn Nasseri, Dr. Robert Naruse, Dr. Rob Huizenga, every nurse, and every technician and orderly at Cedars who’s punch-the-clock jobs happen to save human lives on the regular.”

Sarah Silverman also began reflecting on her close brush with mortality , during her health scare. She had mentioned in her Facebook post how she had lost several loved ones recently, according to the Los Angeles Times .

“There’s something that happens when three people you’re so close to die within a year and then you almost die but don’t. (That was me. I’m the one that didn’t die.) It’s a strange dichotomy between, “Why me?” and the other, “Why me?”

Despite Sarah Silverman’s health scare, she is still here and funny as can be. We wish her a speedy recovery!

[Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images]

TAGGED:Sarah Silverman
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