Queen guitarist Brian May said he was rushed to a hospital after suffering a minor stroke that caused him to temporarily lose control of his left arm, noting that at the time there was "some doubt" that he would be able to play the guitar again.
The 77-year-old music icon opened up about the "little health hiccup" Wednesday on social media.
"I'm here to bring you some good news — the good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days," May said in an Instagram video. "I say this because it was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago and what they called it was a minor stroke. It was a little scary, I have to say."
May said that, according to doctors, he had suffered a "minor stroke," but then "all of a sudden out of the blue," he could not control his left arm.
"I had the most fantastic care and attention from the hospital where I went, blue lights flashing, the lot, it was very exciting. I might post a video if you like," he said. "I didn't wanna say anything at the time because I didn't want anything surrounding it. I really don't want sympathy. Please don't do that, because it'll clutter up my inbox, and I hate that. The good news is I'm OK."
May further noted that he's not allowed to drive, get on a plane, or do anything that might risk raising his heart rate as he recovers.
"But I'm good," he added.
The guitarist said he was "very near death" after being hospitalized in May 2020, where doctors found that three of his arteries were blocked, threatening his heart's blood supply.
"It's a long climb back," he told The Times then. "I've had complications due to the drugs I'm on, one of which was a stomach explosion that nearly killed me."
The heart attack, May said, baffled him.
"I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't have high cholesterol and I was exercising through the tour, so why did it happen? At least I now have a heart that is working far better than it was," he said.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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