Chely Wright Reveals She Suffered a Stroke in 2018
Country singer Chely Wright revealed on Friday (Nov. 1) that she suffered a stroke in late 2018. The artist says in a Facebook post about the experience that she hopes sharing her story will encourage fans to know the stroke warning signs and prioritize their health.
In Wright's Facebook post, she details her experience on Nov. 1, 2018: That day, after suffering from a migraine for three days, went to the emergency room of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City with her wife, Lauren Blitzer. The singer is used to getting migraines, she says, but "[b]ecause I had shows booked for the coming weekend, I wanted to get this headache out of the way."
"The doctor I saw — whom I’d seen before — was troubled by some the symptoms of that day’s headache," Wright writes. "After a series of diagnostic tests, I was informed that I’d had a stroke. A stroke. I'd just turned 48."
Wright admits that she "sort of knew" something was wrong beyond just a migraine. "What I had been experiencing with that headache and leading up to that headache was different. I’d even said aloud to myself in the bathroom mirror, 'Did you have a stroke?'" she recalls.
One year later, Wright says she is doing "okay." She does not detail how her health was affected by the stroke, but does say that "[i]t's been a long year."
"The reason I’m sharing this is so you all might take a moment to refresh your understanding of stroke and the symptoms of stroke. Pay attention to your body and encourage your loved ones to do the same," Wright concludes. "Again, I am okay and very grateful to have access to quality medical care. As we all know, not everyone in America has that luxury. We have to fix that."
Wright released her newest project, the Revival EP, in May, and has been touring in support of it. She rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s, earning a No. 1 hit with her 1999 single "Single White Female." In 2010, Wright came out as gay in her memoir, Like Me.
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