Kerry Katona has revealed she was left 'traumatised' after being forced to sign a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order for her mother, Sue, who was rushed to hospital and slipped into unconsciousness. The 45-year-old Atomic Kitten star candidly shared that she 'needs therapy' after fearing her mother 'was gone', but assured fans that Sue is now recovering well.
Instagram Update
Taking to Instagram on Monday morning, Kerry said she had just returned home to her own bed after spending several days at the hospital. However, she admitted she was still struggling to process the 'horrific' ordeal. She described how Sue acted like a different person when she regained consciousness, emotionally stating: 'That wasn't my mum.'
Kerry recalled having to sign a DNR on her mother's behalf and confessed it had left her questioning her own mortality, especially after her own suspected stroke earlier this month. A DNR instructs medical staff not to perform CPR if a patient's heart or breathing stops, but does not affect other treatments such as pain management.
Recovery and Reflection
Filming an update from her bed, Kerry told followers: 'Quick update as to why I haven't been on social media. Last night was the first night I slept in my own bed. My mum got took into hospital last Tuesday. On Wednesday they called me and asked me to come in because she had slipped into unconsciousness. It was horrific, they asked me to sign a Do Not Resuscitate.'
The TV personality continued: 'My mum eventually came out of unconsciousness after 24 hours, but when she did come out of unconsciousness - that wasn't my mum. And it was very traumatic, I'm not going to lie - I actually think I need therapy. Because I was sat there watching her and she was like on a loop, she wouldn't stop. It was very difficult to watch, so I actually feel traumatised. I thought that's it my mum has gone, her mind's gone, she's gone.'
She explained that she left the hospital on Sunday after being there since Wednesday and candidly shared the toll it took: 'It drains you, it breaks your heart. It was very very hard to watch.' But Kerry quickly assured fans: 'Fortunately, my mum's back and she's doing well. We don't know what the cause of it was, they're trying to find out. I think she'll be in there for a while now, but I got to come home yesterday and get in my own bed.'
She joked that she had 'aged about 50 years' over the past few days and had to miss several work commitments, while still dealing with the aftereffects of her own health scare after suffering a suspected stroke earlier this month. 'It was horrendous, it really was horrendous and I never want to go through that again, ever,' she said. 'I feel like I've aged about 50 years – thanks mum.'
Questioning Mortality
Reflecting on the experience, Kerry added: 'It kind of gets you questioning mortality and you know your parents aren't going to be here forever. You start thinking about when you get to that age, will my kids be there for me? Oh god, it was just absolutely horrendous.'
The mother-of-five noted that she was still struggling with her speech and revealed that her mother's hospital dash caused her to miss her own hospital appointment. 'As I'm sure you can see I'm still not talking properly. I was due to get all my bloods done Friday morning, which I missed because I was at the hospital,' she said. 'It's been a lot, so I'm just processing really. I had to miss a few work events, which I'm so sorry about. I feel so awful, I feel like I let a lot of people down but family comes first. You have to remember I'm an only child to my mum and I'm the next of kin. So the burden falls on me. It was horrendous, I never ever ever ever want to go through that again. It was a lot, but she's okay for now.'
Captioning the post, she wrote: 'Not sure if anyone has actually noticed I haven't been on social media. This is the reason why have a great Monday everybody @suekatona also the biggest shoutout to all the lovely nurses.'
Previous Health Scare
Earlier this month, Kerry revealed she had been rushed to hospital after doctors feared she suffered a stroke that affected her speech and facial muscles. A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is cut off or a blood vessel bursts, depriving brain cells of oxygen and causing them to die, requiring immediate medical attention. The reality star admitted she had 'never been so scared in my life' after realising she couldn't smile properly while watching her eldest daughter, Molly, in a London play.
Kerry rushed to hospital where they immediately began treating it as a stroke. She texted all her children to tell them she loved them. After tests and CT scans, doctors ruled out a stroke but said 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 is still dealing with aftereffects including shooting pains in her head and slurred speech, undergoing speech therapy and facial exercises.
Turbulent Relationship with Mother
Kerry has long been candid about her difficult childhood and turbulent relationship with Sue, who was manic-depressive. The former I'm A Celeb star previously shared how her earliest memory is watching her mother slit her wrists when Kerry was just three. She also told how Sue gave her drugs for the first time when she was 14, recalling that she thought 'mum's love and affection was in a bag of coke' and 'it was normal.'
Speaking on a podcast last year, Kerry explained how she was raised not knowing her real father, only discovering his identity after his death. She revealed her mother had several short-lived relationships, one of which was physically abusive and forced them into witness protection. She admitted being put in 'unspeakable situations' as a child, going through four sets of foster parents and living in a shelter while her mum battled mental health issues and drug addiction. She recalled a horrifying moment when one of Sue's ex-boyfriends threatened to 'chop her feet off' after stabbing her mother.
Kerry was subsequently placed in foster care at age 13. Despite her traumatic upbringing, she has defended her mother, saying Sue had a 'terrible childhood' and issues with drugs and mental health, and 'didn't really know how to be a mum.' Kerry previously begged fans not to send negative messages to Sue on social media, stating: 'My mum is not that person anymore, she's a much older lady now. Please don't, we all make mistakes and my mum's childhood was awful and it's in the past and it's made me who I am today.'
What Are Do Not Resuscitate Orders?
A DNR order is a legal order which tells a medical team not to perform CPR on a patient. However, this does not affect other medical treatments. The British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing say that DNR orders should only be issued after discussions with patients or their family. A patient may decline resuscitation if they have capacity under the Mental Health Act 2005. If patients want to record this in a legally binding document, they should make an 'advance decision to refuse treatment' (ADRT), but it is often best to have it recorded on a CPR decision form as well. When someone's heart and breathing stop because they are dying from an advanced and irreversible condition, CPR may prolong the process of dying and increase suffering. In cases where CPR may bring someone back to a quality of life they would want, they should be given clear information and the chance to express their wishes.
