Kerry Katona has opened up about the lasting effects of her recent health emergency, admitting that her speech is still not fully recovered and she is suffering from exhaustion. The 45-year-old former Atomic Kitten star has booked a full body health check after a terrifying hospital dash in April.
Writing in New magazine, Kerry said: 'I’ve just booked myself a full body MOT with my friends at Pall Mall Medical, as I’m not feeling 100% right now. My speech still isn’t quite right and I’m exhausted. The problem is, I never put myself first.' The mother of five added that she is arranging blood tests, a smear test and a stool sample as part of a comprehensive check-up.
In April, Kerry was rushed to hospital in London after suffering worrying symptoms while watching her eldest daughter Molly perform in a play. She noticed she could not smile properly and her face appeared 'not right', prompting fears of a stroke. She was taken by ambulance from St Thomas’ Hospital to King’s College Hospital, where doctors initially treated her for a stroke.
Thankfully, scans ruled out a stroke but revealed that a part of her brain was 'broken' and unable to send signals to her face due to stress. Kerry explained: 'The CT scans showed there’s a part of my brain that’s broken and isn’t able to send signals to my face due to stress.' She noted that she still experiences shooting pains in her head and struggles with speech, saying, 'Even though I think I’m saying something properly in my head, it doesn’t sound right out loud.'
The singer, who has five children – Molly, Lilly, Heidi, Max and Dylan-Jorge – and is in a relationship with Paolo Margaglione, admitted the ordeal was terrifying. She messaged all her children fearing she might never speak to them again. 'It really, really scared me. I’ve never been so scared in my life,' she said.
Kerry attributed the health scare to stress and a packed lifestyle, adding that she does not socialise outside her immediate circle. 'I don’t know if it’s because I’m run down from balancing family life, but I don’t have a social life,' she said.
