Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit online news service for information and commentary about chronic pain and pain management. I gently raised one eyelid. They had a similar four-year period of degenerative health, and thats interesting because she did not take the same medication as he took.. He would also often say "God, I hurt all over." This statement was subsequently demonstrated not to be the case. However, this was later proved not to be the complete case. But who knows? According to Rolling Stone, that was when producer Felton Jarvis had a game-changing idea: If Elvis wouldn't go to the studio, they'd bring the studio to Elvis. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. All rights reserved. Popping pills. In the end, he died a lonely man whose ornate home became the embodiment of Heartbreak Hotel., Left: Market data provided by Factset. As recorded in Rolling Stone, the three bodyguards co-wrote a tell-all biography of Elvis that was released only days before his death. You'd have been out of there faster than a scratched cat. He began treating the King for saddle pain in 1967 and all too soon Elvis turned into an opiate addict. At only 42 years of age, initially the cause of his death was reported as a heart attack. As someone who loves this struggling individual, the young woman started to become concerned with her lover's health as it rapidly declined. "We see that when he tours, he takes more medication than when hes not touring. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The drugs included uppers, downers, and powerful painkillers such as Dilaudid, Quaalude, Percodan, Demerol, and cocaine hydrochloride in quantities more appropriate for those terminally ill with cancer.". While some have sought to portray the family as hillbillies, the author points out that inter-marriage was not at the time unusual across society. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "When he played Vegas, he played two shows a day for 30 days thats 60 shows. ", "In the end, somebody who has a mental health issue, who is a celebrity, will often have a more difficult time because to really successfully recover from a mental health problem or addiction,you actually need a great deal of humility. Subsequent armchair diagnosticians (and a few geneticists who claimed to have a lock of Elviss hair and performed a DNA analysis of it) have suggested Elvis had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle in which there is thickening of the hearts walls, weakening and enlargement of the muscle itself, and, ultimately heart failure or sudden cardiac death. When Elvis asked for sleeping pills during his final hours, it was she who told his private doctor where to find them, and she regrets not being there as he died. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "He believed he could conquer all his problems himself. ", Celeb obsessed? Throughout Elvis' career, he was surrounded by a crew of friends, hangers-on, and enablers that were casually dubbed the "Memphis Mafia." Presley was born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, and died in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 16, 1977. After the trial, Tennant remained curious about Elvis medical problems and continued his research while treating people with intractable pain. Elvis' drug problem was the result of prescription drugs, some of which were administered for health problems. According to Kirk, Presley was impressed by the nurse and her country ways. In 1972, he hired her as his nurse, as well as her husband for security. First he complained of vertigo, back pain, and insomnia, eye infections and headaches, and in 1973 he was rushed to hospital in a semi-coma and found to be suffering from jaundice, severe respiratory distress, marked swelling of his face, distended abdomen, constipation, a gastric, bleeding ulcer and hepatitis. This was especially true during the last year of his life, when he was deep in his chemical dependency and had left behind many of the loyal friends of his youth. Her new book, which comes out on Sept. 15, is titled "Destined to Fly: The Story of Pilot Ron Strauss From Iowa to Elvis," which tells the little-known tale of Presleys pilot. The singer, who made teenage girls hysterical with his movie star looks, catchy songs and gyrating pelvis during the 50s, was suffering from declining health in the 70s. (Red had known the singer since the '50s.) Prior to his death, Presley was visually no longer the hip-swaying "Elvis the Pelvis" sex symbol. As he had in recent gigs, Elvis appeared overweight and at times winded but was reported to have given a solid performance overall. (The doctor said they were for Presley's entourage as well.) He was found there by Ginger Alden around 2 p.m. on August 16. It was huge, and its shag carpeting naturally absorbed ambient sound, although the fake waterfall did have to be turned off. Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images. The book, "Elvis Presley: A Southern Life," also reported that the autopsy "confirmed what his doctors already knew: Elvis was chronically ill with diabetes, glaucoma, and constipation.". He says, Im sick, I dont feel good, but I cant stop because everybody is relying on me., Hoedel believes Presley was not a drug addict looking to escape reality. the excessive use of drugs had caused serious implications on the singer's health. She credits this topublic figureslike Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish and Michael Phelps, who usetheir platforms toshare theirstruggles and help reducemental health stigma. Did he really fire Colonel Tom Parker onstage in Las Vegas? Put simply, the strain of attempting to defecate compressed the singer's abdominal aorta, shutting down his heart.". Linda Thompson (left) posing with her then-boyfriend Elvis Presley and her parents. In 1980, the not-so-good doctor was indicted again for overprescribing to Presley as well as Jerry Lee Lewis, but was acquitted again. He gave his rings to his fans during concerts. Elvis Presley's former private nurse Letetia Henley Kirk has had the King on her mind. Now The King's cousin has shared specific . Dr. Howard Markel. "made with a jars worth of blueberry jam, a jars worth of peanut butter and an entire pound of bacon,", born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, How 'Elvis' highlights his complicated history with Black music, 45 Elvis events in the 45 years since the death of the King, We're here to help with life's everyday questions, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. there was another problem: Elvis Presley's issue with prescription drug abuse. Why would you want to go out and have people staring at you and judging youall the time?" The touring doesnt help. And yet, when Elvis died on August 16, 1977, he had become something entirely different from his former self. In the last years of his life, he suffered from many heart-attack-provoking factors: a high-sugar, high-fat diet high blood pressure chronic insomnia liver damage rheumatoid arthritis chronic drug addiction During the autopsy it became clear that Elvis did in fact have multiple heart problems, including a strained aorta and atherosclerosis. But when we see the complexity of starsbeyond their fame and fortune, "the public is then forced to see them as human," Manly says. However, though Dr. Nick was charged with 11 felony accounts of overprescribing drugs, he was acquitted the medical examiner claimed that Elvis had died of heart disease, adding, "Had these drugs not been there, he still would've died.". Kirk, her husband and their daughters soon found themselves living in Graceland. Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit charity. Among Presleys ailments attributed to his genes were alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, which can attack the lungs and liver; colon issues; an immune deficiency and lifelong insomnia. After a quick injection of stimulant drugs, Elvis recovers just enough to sing, dance and entertain an adoring crowd in a packed showroom. Elvis just fainted.' Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox. Well, that's not true. Presleys physician, George Nichopoulos, or "Dr. Nick," said Presley "suffered from chronic pain from degenerative problems in his back and neck as a result of severe arthritis. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. All proceeds from sales of The Strange Medical Saga of Elvis Presley go the Tennant Foundation, which gives financial support to Pain News Network and sponsors PNNs Patient Resources section. (Photo by Gary Null & Frank Carroll/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images), ELVIS PRESLEYS PAL RECALLS LAST TIME HE SAW THE KING: EVERYBODY HAD TEARS IN THEIR EYES. He was not prejudice at all. There, the body identified the matter as foreign and produced antibodies to destroy it, triggering hypogammaglobulinemia, a disorder of the body's immune system. First he complained of vertigo, back pain, and insomnia, eye infections and headaches, and in 1973 he was rushed to hospital in a semi-coma and found to be suffering from jaundice, severe. In an exclusive interview with theExpress.co.ukshe continued to say that five of these diseases had been present from his birth. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. In his opinion, as shared in a 2013 medical paper, when Elvis tripped over a television cord and knocked himself out on the bathtub, the injury was so severe that it caused brain tissue to dislodge and seep into his blood circulation. says Rockwell, adding that "alot is given away when an artist becomes famous that they are ill-prepared for.". The outlet noted that during the last two years of his life, Presley made erratic stage appearances and lived nearly as a recluse. "If Dr. Forrest Torrent is right, there simply wasnt a proper understanding back then in determining what really killed the King of Rock & Roll. When the toxicology report came back several weeks later, however, Elvis blood was found to contain very high levels of the opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demerol, and codeine as well as Quaaludes. Elvis was sitting on the toilet, straining very hard to have a bowel movement a maneuver that put a great amount of pressure on his heart and aorta. I walked over, lifted his chin, and said, Elvis, if you talk to me, you look at me, she said. Appropriation or appreciation? Dr. Nick testified he gave into all of Elviss prescription requests because he wanted to keep Presley from seeking out these drugs on the street., Doctors still argue about this princes early death, How a serious illness gave Eugene ONeill his dark literary power. Replacing Linda was actress Ginger Alden (above), a woman 20 years Elvis' junior. When critics and fans describe Elvis in his later years, one term used is "Fat Elvis." And despite having never smoked, he also suffered from emphysema. Eric Muirhead, Jerry Francisco, and Noel Florredo, conducted a two-hour post-mortem examination. Elvis Presley skyrocketed to fame in the 1950s. Here is what you need to know about Elvis' death, declining health and other aspects of his life. And you have to remember, this was a time when people really didnt talk about their health like they do now. Psychologists say efforts to reimagine celebrities as more than their stardomand wealth succeed in destigmatizing and humanizingthe mental health conversation. They were all connected. EDS is what connects all of those health problems, correct? In 2020, Hoedel wrote a book titled "Elvis: Destined to Die Young," which explored the late music icons health history and what contributed to his early demise. Once he strayed from his picture-perfect, seductiveimage, someridiculed and discardedhim. His hip-swinging antics might seem tame to today's audiences, but when he first emerged as a pop star, Elvis introduced millions to rock's inherent sexuality. He pulled his whole family out of poverty. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Manly adds the objectification of Elvis also played a role in this mistreatment: not only was he used as a "moneymaking machine" by power-hungry leadersin the industry, but he was also sexualized and reduced toan image by his youngfemalefans. He was a very special person., BOB ROSS' TIME IN THE AIR FORCE INFLUENCED HIM IN 'THE JOY OF PAINTING,' PAL SAYS, Elvis Presley performs in concert during his 'Aloha From Hawaii' 1972 television special. Home Health News Elvis Presley health: The star was destined to die young full list of his health issues, We use your sign-up to provide content in ways youve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. In 1981, Tennant was hired by an attorney for Dr. George Nichopoulos (Dr. Nick), who faced criminal charges in Presleys death. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Elvis' health problems had started long before that August day in 1977. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. So when he was sick, he didnt stop as he should have. Elvis' passing is often used as the archetypal rock star death a tragic accident caused by a poor health and drug use. It's more difficult to project onto that person that idealof perfection.". The painkillers Presley used are believed to have contributed to his severeconstipation. He said he has made it a point to ask every one of his patients about possible head trauma, and noted that . Kirk shared that despite Presley's fame and fortune, he was often lonely. Westmoreland said she was horrified to hear that even in his condition, Presley was already gearing up for another tour. Legal Statement. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images). Lamar Fike, a member of Elvis' "Memphis Mafia"entourage, famously said Ginger "didn't give a rat's ass about him. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. And theres evidence of that time and time again. In a toxicology report, weeks after his death, Elvis' blood was found to have had extremely high levels of the opiates Dilaudid, Percodan, Demerol and codeine, as well as Quaaludes. By then, he and his wife Priscilla Presley had separated. "So when we see a celebrity altered in any way, we can say 'Oh, see, they faltered,'or 'They're not perfect.' People there in the inner group did but you did not tell Elvis what to do. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. He passed away on Aug. 16 of that year. He would pass away that same year. But it's "She Thinks I Still Care" that is regarded by many to be Elvis' finest latter-day moments, illustrating a man trying to move on while trapped in the role tailor-made for him and revealing, according to Rolling Stone, "a real-life glimpse into the life of an increasingly isolated man.". But especially in his later years, he developed a range of phobias and obsessions, had trouble sleeping and gradually relied on drugs to get through the day. By then, he really needs a lot of medication to achieve any form of sleep And hes taking things like Valium to achieve sleep because he literally cannot sleep any other way. His access to medications was overwhelming, she claimed. With aging, drugs, a hefty and unhealthy diet, and a hard lifestyle, health issues increase, which resulted in Elvis's death on a toilet. Austin Butler's 'Elvis' acting lessons began when Tom Hanks delivered a typewriter to his door, Netflix's "Blonde," starring Ana de Armas, (Marilyn Monroe)'s public and private selves. Todays tears belong to musical monarch Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, who died Thursday at age 76 of pancreatic cancer. Aside from"Elvis," newretellings like Netflix's "Blonde," starring Ana de Armas,"explore the widening split between (Marilyn Monroe)'s public and private selves.". You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Dr. Howard Markel Elvis Presley was found dead at the foot of the toilet with his bottom in the air after months of agonising constipation and cheese burger binges. Her parents his rings to his fans during concerts indicted again for overprescribing to Presley as well as her and! 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