Andrea McLean was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disease (Image: ITV)
Andrea McLean previously addressed her fear of dying after she was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disease.
The former panellist, 54, explained how doctors discovered that she had the rare condition, known as medium vessel vasculitis, after she had a hysterectomy in 2016.
In an emotional interview with back in 2018, Andrea admitted that it was a turning point and ultimately changed her life.
Andrea explained: “When you think life is coming to an end, you’ve never wanted to live so much. I’ve been given a second chance and I’m not going to waste it.”
Medium vessel vasculitis can cause blood vessels to inflame and can stop blood flowing to vital organs.
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Andrea admitted the diagnosis changed her life (Image: Getty)
“With the threat of a serious illness hanging over me, I now knew that I couldn’t hold myself back any longer,” she added. “I didn’t want to look back on my life and wish I’d been brave enough to do something that was within my power to do, but a fear of failure held me back.”
Thankfully, doctors were able to remove the infected area and Andrea was given the all clear. On Sunday (February 8), after suffering a terrifying health scare.
The Scottish star explained that she had been suffering from flu symptoms in December before things took a dramatic turn. Andrea initially dismissed her illness as a common winter bug and expected it to be over within a week.
However, after seven days of relentless fever, chills, and chest pain, she noticed a worrying sign – her urine had turned brown. Shortly after, she collapsed in her bathroom and was on the floor an hour before her husband Nick Feeney found her.
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Andrea’s husband discovered her on the floor and she was rushed to hospital (Image: Getty)
Andrew and Nick called 999 and an ambulance arrived at their home.
“The ambulance team were amazing,” the TV host wrote on her blog. “My blood pressure was so low I couldn’t stand, and I was in a lot of pain. To be honest, I was barely aware of what was happening.”
After arriving at the hospital and undergoing several tests, Andrea was diagnosed with severe pneumonia, acute kidney injury, and sepsis.
“Things happened quickly; drips, super-strong antibiotics via IV and orally, and I was transferred to the Emergency Assessment Ward,” she wrote.
After spending several days in hospital, Andrea was finally allowed to go home, but had to return every day for IV antibiotics and monitoring.
Looking back on her ordeal, Andrea has expressed gratitude for her husband’s unwavering support.
She posted: “Nick’s life stopped for the first few weeks of the new year too. He drove me to hospital every day, sat outside for hours, then drove me home, made dinner, and put me to bed. And then did it all again the next day.”