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Mary Lou Retton Opens Up About Pneumonia Battle, Looking "Death In The Eyes" In First Interview Since ICU Stay
"I am blessed to be here because there was a time when they were about to put me on life support."
Mary Lou Retton opened up about her battle with a rare form of pneumonia for the first time since facing "death in the eyes."
Roughly two months after she was released from a Texas hospital, the legendary Olympic gymnast sat down with Hoda Kotb for an emotional conversation about her monthlong ICU stay and her ongoing recovery.
"This is serious, and this is life. I am so grateful to be here," Retton, 55, said in an interview that aired on Today Monday morning. "I am blessed to be here because there was a time when they were about to put me on life support."
"I'm not great yet, I know it's going to be a really long road—I don't know how long, I may indefinitely need oxygen—but you have no idea how blessed and how grateful I was for this holiday season," she continued.
The former Olympian, who remains on a portable oxygen concentrator, recalled the beginning of her illness, and how quickly her condition quickly devolved.
"I didn't know what was wrong with me," Retton said, noting that she found herself tired and unable to take in a "big, deep breath" while getting a manicure with her daughter, Shayla Schrepfer.
The next day she was on the floor of her bedroom struggling to breathe. Luckily, a neighbor who lives across the street, noticed that one of the cars in her driveway had the door open.
"She came in the house. She knows my code, and saw me and found me," Retton said. "And Magda pretty much saved my life."
From that point, the mother of four daughters deteriorated quickly.
The night Retton was admitted to the ICU, a doctor told Schrepfer and her sisters that they were considering "taking the next step" and putting Retton on a ventilator.
Schrepfer told Kotb that a doctor warned her that they were unsure if her mom would make it through the night.
Her daughters put their hands on her and prayed.
"They were saying their goodbyes to me," Retton recalled.
Then, after trying one more breathing apparatus, Retton was able to reach an oxygen level that prevented her from going on a ventilator.
Doctors still aren't sure what caused the pneumonia or what her recovery will look like, but Retton is optimistic.
"When you face death in the eyes, I have so much to look forward to. I'm a fighter and I'm not going to give it up," she told Kotb.
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What Can Cause Back Pain While Breathing?
If back pain occurs when a person breathes, it can signal an underlying medical condition. Possible causes range from improper spinal curvature to lung cancer.
Back pain while breathing can also indicate a medical emergency, such as a heart attack or pulmonary embolism, particularly if the person is also experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain.
This article investigates some possible causes of back pain while breathing and describes when to see a doctor.
Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. Although it can affect people of any age, it typically occurs in preteens or young teenagers.
In some people, the spine can become so curved that it places extra pressure on the lungs, making breathing painful.
Symptoms of scoliosis can include:
Treatment optionsDoctors will consider many factors when deciding on treatment options, such as a person's sex, the severity of the curve, curve position, and bone maturity. For example, a doctor may recommend observation for less severe curvature in younger individuals and suggest physical therapy for adults. For people with mild-to-moderate curvature, a doctor may recommend wearing a back brace. Individuals with more severe scoliosis may require spinal fusion surgery to straighten their spine.
In some cases, back pain while breathing can be a symptom of a heart attack. This is life threatening and requires immediate medical assistance.
A heart attack can occur if the blood flow to the heart's muscles suddenly becomes blocked, by a blood clot, for example.
Symptoms of a heart attack can include:
People with symptoms of a heart attack should contact or visit emergency services immediately.
Treatment optionsTreatment depends on the type and severity of the heart attack. Typically, treatments involve techniques to restore blood flow to part of the heart muscle damaged during a heart attack. When a heart attack is severe, the doctor may pass a type of catheter through the person's groin or wrist to open the blocked artery.
Carrying excess weight can place extra pressure on a person's back, joints, and other parts of the body. Some people with obesity can have breathing problems and find it uncomfortable or even painful to take full, deep breaths.
Treatment optionsLosing weight — for example, through a calorie-restricted diet and regular exercise — may help alleviate back and joint pain. People who are having difficulty maintaining a healthy weight may wish to speak to a doctor about possible hormonal causes, such as low thyroid function.
According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer often does not cause symptoms in the early stages. However, a common sign of lung cancer is chest pain that usually worsens during deep breathing or coughing.
If the cancer spreads to other organs, it may cause bone pain in a person's back or hips. A lung tumor can also press on nerves in the spine, affecting a person's breathing and causing back pain.
Other symptoms of lung cancer can include:
Treatment optionsTreatment for lung cancer depends on several factors, including:
Treatment options can include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Kyphosis is a condition that causes a person's spine to curve forward, which can lead to a hunched posture.
This curvature can develop during adolescence, following a spinal injury, or result from aging.
Kyphosis can also cause back pain, swelling, and balance issues. Symptoms may get worse over time, which can lead to difficulty breathing or eating in some people.
Treatment optionsTreatment for kyphosis can involve attending physical therapy, wearing a brace, and taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen. For severe kyphosis, a doctor may recommend surgical treatment, such as a spinal fusion.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot develops in an artery that supplies blood to the lungs. This can block the flow of blood, which can be life threatening.
A person with a pulmonary embolism often experiences pain while taking a deep breath and pain in the upper back.
Other symptoms can include:
A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency, and people with these symptoms should seek immediate assistance.
Treatment optionsTreatment options involve keeping the blood clot from growing and preventing the formation of new clots. Options typically include anticoagulant medications to break down the blood clot and a surgical procedure to remove or bypass the clot.
Pneumonia is an infection that causes the tiny air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid. It can occur in one or both lungs.
Symptoms of pneumonia vary in severity, but people may experience chest, abdominal, or back pain when breathing or coughing.
Other symptoms of pneumonia can include:
Treatment optionsTreatment options will depend on the type of pneumonia a person has. When bacteria are responsible for the infection, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics. When a virus is responsible, supportive treatments are available. Severe pneumonia may require hospitalization.
Intercostal neuralgia is a condition that causes neuropathic pain in the area corresponding to the intercostal nerves (rib, chest, upper abdominal wall). This pain may be constant or intermittent and can be exacerbated by breathing.
Causes of this condition include certain surgical procedures, such as a thoracotomy, shingles, traumatic injury, and pregnancy.
Symptoms are as follows:
Treatment options for intercostal neuralgia depend on the underlying cause. Medication like opioids, anticonvulsants, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be prescribed for pain control. Other options include transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and certain antidepressants.
People with severe, persistent, or worsening back pain should visit a doctor. This is particularly important when the pain occurs alongside tingling or numbness in the hands and feet.
Seek immediate medical assistance for back or chest pain that accompanies:
Below are some commonly asked questions about back pain when breathing.
What causes a sharp pain when breathing deeply?If a person has pain when they take a deep breath, it could be due to infection, inflammation, or spinal curvature. In more serious cases, it can point to a heart attack, pneumonia, or lung cancer.
Can lung pain be felt in the back?Severe cases of a collapsed lung can cause back pain. Similarly, lung cancer that has spread can also cause pain in the back.
How does a person know if back pain is lung related?Lung tumors can sometimes put pressure on the spine, leading to back pain. People should consider their other symptoms and speak with a doctor to understand if back pain is due to lung cancer or another cause.
Back pain while breathing may be a sign of a serious underlying condition or even a medical emergency, so it is important not to ignore the symptom.
People with severe, persistent, or worsening back pain should visit a doctor. Anyone with symptoms that could indicate a heart attack or pulmonary embolism should receive emergency medical attention.
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Mary Lou Retton's Daughter Recalls Saying Goodbye To Mom In ICU: 'Things Went South Really Fast'
Mary Lou Retton is detailing for the first time what happened leading up to her sudden hospitalization with a life-threatening rare form of pneumonia back in October.
The day before Retton first went to the hospital, she was getting her nails done with her eldest daughter, Shayla Schrepfer, she told TODAY's Hoda Kotb in an exclusive interview that aired Jan. 8. They were preparing for a "girls' trip" and were set to go to Dallas, Texas, to see Retton's daughter Emma Jean's boyfriend play an away game, both getting red nails for the University of Arkansas.
During the manicure, Schrepfer recalls her mom saying, "I just can't keep my eyes open. I am so tired." Later that evening, another one of Retton's daughters thought something was off when she started "to say things that don't make a whole lot of sense."
But Schrepfer didn't think anything of it, and they shrugged it off as dehydration. Her mom was "like a little pistol," she said during the interview, which was filmed at Retton's home in Boerne, Texas.
Retton was supposed to meet her daughters at the game the next day. But she never made it.
The former Olympic gymnast was found by a neighbor lying on her bedroom floor the day after the manicure, struggling to breathe.
"I didn't know what was wrong with me," Retton said, adding that she was trying to take in a "big, deep breath," but couldn't — something she said she still can't do as she remains on an oxygen apparatus in recovery from her monthlong stay in the intensive care unit.
Retton said she was laying on the floor for 15 minutes, awake but struggling, before her "dear friend," a neighbor who lives across the street, noticed that one of the cars in Retton's driveway had the door open.
"She came in the house. She knows my code, and saw me and found me," Retton said. "And Magda pretty much saved my life."
At first, Retton was taken to an emergency room, before they advised her to go to a hospital. The neighbor called Schrepfer, who headed home.
Retton's daughters — Schrepfer, McKenna Kelley, Skyla Kelley and Emma Jean Kelley — first shared news of their mom's illness with the public via a fundraising site on Oct. 10, writing that Retton was "fighting for her life" in the ICU.
But before Retton was admitted to the ICU, she was hospitalized for a "couple of days" and then sent home.
"I wasn't being treated. I kept saying, 'I can't breathe,'" Retton said.
At home, she reached a dangerously low pulse oximeter level, which is a measure of the amount of oxygen circulating in the blood. A normal pulse oximeter reading is between between 95% and 100% oxygen saturation, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Retton's was in the 70s, she recalled.
Her condition quickly deteriorated, and she was rushed to the hospital and admitted to the ICU.
Retton is experiencing a "very rare form of pneumonia," according to her daughter.
"Things just went south really, really fast," Schrepfer said.
The night Retton was admitted, a doctor approached Schrepfer and her two sisters — the youngest, Emma, was at college — and said they were considering "taking the next step" and putting Retton on a ventilator.
"Life support," Retton clarified.
The doctor then told the sisters to get Emma to the hospital.
"'We don't know if she's going to make it through the night,'" Schrepfer recalls a doctor telling her.
Schrepfer and McKenna Kelly put their hands on their mom and prayed.
"They were saying their goodbyes to me," Retton said.
Then, after trying one more breathing apparatus, Retton was able to reach an oxygen level that prevented her from going on a ventilator.
"Emma was able to get there," Schrepfer said. "So that was a huge blessing, a huge sigh of relief, being there that night.
After Oct. 10, Retton's family began regularly updating the public on her recovery. Retton was home by Oct. 23 and shared her first statement since her hospitalization on Oct. 30, writing that she was "with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive."
Retton said doctors still don't know what caused the pneumonia. She said she tested negative for COVID-19, the flu and RSV. Doctors also determined it wasn't bacterial or fungal.
When she gets stronger, she said doctors want to do a biopsy on her lungs to try to figure out what happened. But because the cause of the illness is a mystery, the timeline on Retton's recovery is unclear, Schrepfer said.
"You don't get to see the light at the end of the tunnel," she said. "So it's a day by day recovery period."
This story first appeared on TODAY.Com. More from TODAY:
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