American musician, singer, songwriter, and reality television personality Bret Michaels has struggled with health issues throughout his career.
Bret collapsed on stage during an early Poison show. Michaels was compelled to confess he had Type 1 diabetes when the media disseminated rumours implying it was the result of a drug overdose.
On May 20, 2010, it was reported on his official website that Michaels had been “readmitted to the hospital the week after suffering numbness on the left side of his body”.
Michaels was discovered to have a “patent foramen ovale (PFO), a hole in the heart” during diagnostic procedures.
It was later reported that his condition is “operable and treatable” and his doctors believe they “have diagnosed the problem that caused the transient ischemic attack (TIA) or warning stroke”, but that they “feel it is highly unlikely this is connected to the brain hemorrhage he suffered just a few weeks earlier”
On October 11, 2011, Michaels commented on his 2010 health scare with the following: “2010 was, without question, a roller coaster year for me. But when you have an amazing family, and you still have a lot of music left to make, and you have such incredible and supportive fans behind you, you’re going to fight until the very last breath before you throw in that towel.”