Brooke Shields Praises Bradley Cooper's Support After Experiencing a Full-Blown Grand Mal Seizure
Brooke Shields experienced a severe 'full-blown grand mal seizure' prior to her solo concert in NYC, highlighting the importance of Bradley Cooper's unwavering support during her medical challenge
Brooke Shields, Bradley Cooper Lionel Hahn;Jon Kopaloff/WireImage/Getty Images(2)
Brooke Shields is currently experiencing a sense of great liberation after a recent health scare. The 58-year-old actress revealed that she suffered a severe seizure shortly before her solo show in New York City. Despite the distressing incident, Shields kept it private and chose not to disclose the details until her November cover story interview with Glamour magazine, which was published on November 1.
Shields recounted that she was in the midst of preparing for her cabaret show in September at Manhattan's Café Carlyle when she began experiencing symptoms.
"I was consuming a considerable amount of water, unaware that I had low sodium levels. As I was waiting for an Uber, I descended the steps and it became evident that something was off. The people I was with noticed my strange behavior and asked if I was alright," she recalled. "Without any particular reason, I walked over to the corner and paused, wondering why I was there. Eventually, I entered the restaurant L'Artusi and approached the sommelier, who had just dedicated an hour to watching my rehearsal. Two unfamiliar women approached me, and then everything started to fade into darkness."
Shields' hands fell to her side as she collided headfirst with the wall.
"I experienced a grand mal seizure," revealed the actress. "It involved frothing at the mouth, turning completely blue, and struggling to prevent swallowing my tongue. The next thing I recall is being placed into an ambulance. I was receiving oxygen... and to my surprise, Bradley Cooper was seated beside me, tightly holding my hand."
After Shields collapsed at the NYC restaurant, an employee made an attempt to contact her husband, Chris Henchy. However, they were only able to reach Henchy's assistant, who then contacted Cooper's employee since the actor happened to be in the area.
Shields stated that Cooper's assistant called him and urgently informed him about the situation, saying, "Brooke is on the ground. Chris is unavailable. Please go and assist her." Swiftly, Cooper, aged 48, arrived at the eatery and assisted Shields in getting into an ambulance to be taken to a nearby hospital.
"Then, it felt as if I entered the room alongside Jesus," Shields expressed in her interview with Glamour. "I was speechless and in awe. It reminded me of what death might be like. You wake up, and there's Bradley Cooper, saying 'I'm going to accompany you to the hospital, Brooke,' while holding my hand. As I observed our entwined hands, I couldn't help but think, 'This is quite strange and surreal.'"
With her Carlyle debut just days away, Shields urgently requested her doctor to expedite her recovery. She underwent a series of EEGs and received catheters and IVs in the process.
"I found myself in a difficult situation, ultimately leading me to be placed in the ICU where I contracted bronchitis," she explained. The doctors diagnosed me with low sodium levels, attributing it partially to my excessive water consumption. "I overwhelmed my system and essentially caused myself harm. Insufficient sodium in the blood, urine, or body can lead to seizures."
She went on to express her frustrations with male doctors repeatedly questioning her about her salt intake. She asserted, "I have reached my limit with male doctors. I understand that you are all highly knowledgeable in your field, much more so than I am. However, I want to share something with you; when I retain water and appear bloated, I appear younger. People mistake it for Botox treatments. So, as a 58-year-old woman, I will not restrict my salt intake, alright? Please stop treating me like a delusional actress or an incapable woman."
Shields concluded that her excessive water intake was the cause of her dehydration during her Carlyle rehearsals. She remarked, "I was singing more than ever before, juggling a show and a podcast."
