Close to death: Singer Lala Hsu speaks out after life-saving recovery
Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Taiwanese singer Lala Hsu was hospitalized in intensive care due to septic shock, experiencing a life-threatening ordeal after initially mistaking her symptoms for a common cold.
- Doctors discovered a 2cm kidney stone with an abscess blocking her urinary tract, leading to a severe infection that spread to her bloodstream and caused septic shock.
- Hsu spent 11 days in the ICU, describing the experience as a battle against death, and expressed profound gratitude for the medical team, her family, and friends who supported her recovery.
Taiwanese singer Lala Hsu has shared her harrowing experience of battling septic shock, an ordeal that brought her perilously close to death. The 46-year-old artist was rushed to intensive care after experiencing severe abdominal pain and profuse sweating, symptoms she initially dismissed as a common cold. "I was defeated by myself, from septic shock to regaining new life," Hsu stated in a recent Facebook post, recounting the terrifying experience.
I was defeated by myself, from septic shock to regaining new life. I originally thought it was just a common cold, but in a state of blurred consciousness, I embarked on a tug-of-war with the god of death, experiencing the most thrilling life-and-death test of my life.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to an emergency room visit where X-rays and CT scans revealed a critical issue: a 2-centimeter kidney stone encased in an abscess was obstructing her urinary tract. This blockage caused a severe infection, allowing bacteria to enter her bloodstream and trigger systemic sepsis, ultimately leading to septic shock. Doctors informed her family that her blood pressure had plummeted to dangerously low levels, and her vital organs were failing, necessitating emergency dialysis.
Hsu described the intense pain and struggle to remain conscious during this critical period, recalling keywords like "blood pressure not rising," "ECMO," "kidney drainage," and "dialysis" flashing through her mind. She spent 11 days in the intensive care unit, a period she characterized as a fight for survival, where basic functions like breathing and walking felt like precious gifts. The singer expressed deep gratitude to the medical team at Taipei Medical University Hospital for their professional care and unwavering spirit, crediting them with pulling her back from the brink.
My blood pressure not rising, ECMO, kidney drainage, dialysis.
She also extended thanks to her brother, manager, friends, and boyfriend for their constant support and encouragement, which helped her endure the ordeal. This near-death experience has profoundly impacted Hsu, reinforcing the fragility of life and the importance of health. "This experience of fighting against death has taught me to cherish life, value health, and seize every moment," she shared, promising to return to the stage after a period of recovery.
This experience of fighting against death has taught me to cherish life, value health, and seize every moment.
Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.