It’s the 30th Anniversary since supergroup TLC came out with their multi-platinum hit record CrazySexyCool. The group has since gone back on tour to sold-out shows but recently the group had to cancel shows amid Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins’ recent medical diagnosis.
In a statement shared on the music group’s Instagram Stories on Saturday, Aug. 24, Watkins, 54, and bandmate Rozanda “Chilli” Thomas wrote that Watkins “experienced sudden and severe nausea, vomiting and intense abdominal cramps” after a performance in Toledo, Ohio, on Thursday, Aug. 22.
The singer was immediately seen by a doctor, who diagnosed her with an “abdominal blockage” and advised her to cancel TLC’s show at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, New York, on Friday, Aug. 23, and a performance on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.
Per the statement, Watkins was expected to be released from the hospital on Sunday, Aug. 25.
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“Tionne deeply regrets having to cancel these shows and extends her sincere apologies to all her fans and the event promoters,” TLC said in the statement. “The decision to cancel was made under the advisement of her physician, who required her to stay in the hospital overnight to undergo a CT scan to assess the severity of her condition,” the statement read.
What Is Abdominal Blockage?
Abdominal blockage or intestinal obstruction is a partial or complete blockage of the bowel. The contents of the intestine cannot pass through it.
What Causes It?
Obstruction of the bowel may be due to:
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A mechanical cause, which means something is blocking the bowel
Ileus, a condition in which the bowel does not work correctly, but there is no structural problem causing it
Paralytic ileus, also called pseudo-obstruction, is one of the major causes of intestinal obstruction in infants and children. Causes of paralytic ileus may include:
- Bacteria or viruses that cause intestinal infections (gastroenteritis)
- Chemical, electrolyte, or mineral imbalances (such as decreased blood potassium level)
- Abdominal surgery
- Decreased blood supply to the intestines
- Infections inside the abdomen, such as appendicitis
- Kidney or lung disease
- Use of certain medicines, especially narcotics
Mechanical causes of intestinal obstruction may include:
- Adhesions or scar tissue that form after surgery
- Foreign bodies (objects that are swallowed and block the intestines)
- Gallstones (rare)
- Hernias
- Impacted stool
- Intussusception (telescoping of one segment of bowel into another)
- Tumors blocking the intestines
- Volvulus (twisted intestine)
What are the Symptoms She Had?
Symptoms may include:
- Abdominal swelling (distention)
- Abdominal fullness, gas
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Breath odor
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Inability to pass gas
- Vomiting
The group plans to reschedule the canceled shows in the future.
Her Secret Brain Tumor and Everything Else T-Boz Suffers From
Since 2006, T-Boz has been waging a secret battle against a brain tumor that was originally diagnosed in 2005. She explained that she underwent a seven-hour surgical procedure back in 2006, during which doctors peeled the tumor from her brain stem by making a cut behind her ear. She says she was determined to not make her struggle known to the public.
“I didn’t want pity. I was there to help sick children,” T-Boz says. “Because people are often shocked to hear news like that, I kept it under wraps until now so that I can focus on service, and on raising money for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia. I was not interested in gaining pity for myself.”
While the surgery was successful, it left T-Boz with one side effect: poor balance. In her recovery, she’s educating others on sickle cell anemia and working on new music with a positive message.
“Doctors, they didn’t give me a happy ending,” T-Boz said, reflecting on her brain tumor and her sickle cell anemia. “‘You won’t live past 30, you’ll be disabled your whole life. You’ll never have kids. I was looking around the room like, ‘I don’t know who he’s talking to cause that’s not my story.”
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder that causes red blood cells to become rigid and shaped like a sickle, or C-shape. The abnormal hemoglobin in SCD prevents the red blood cells from carrying oxygen properly, which can lead to a number of serious complications.
Some symptoms of SCD include:
Painful crises
These episodes can last for hours or days and can cause pain in the lower back, leg, joints, and chest. Some people have a few crises a year, while others have many.
Swelling
Sickle-shaped red blood cells can block blood circulation in the hands and feet, causing them to swell.
Frequent infections
Sickle cells can damage the spleen, which can increase the risk of infections.
Jaundice
Sickle cells die more quickly than the liver can filter them out, causing a buildup of bilirubin in the system that results in jaundice.
How is T-Boz Doing Now?
“Tionne is doing great!!” a representative for TLC said to USA TODAY in a statement Monday. “It was just one of those freak things that can happen to anyone that has had abdominal surgery or like in Tionne’s case a c-section years ago that can cause scar tissue in their stomach to irritate their intestines and cause a blockage.”
