As rumors proceed to flow into about Wendy Williams' well being, her care staff revealed that she has been identified with major progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. A February 22, 2024 press launch confirmed that “after present process a sequence of medical exams,” Williams was identified in 2023.
Frontotemporal dementia, also referred to as FTD, is a progressive situation that impacts cognitive perform and tends to trigger modifications in conduct, speech, and disposition. Main progressive aphasia is a subtype of FTD that impacts communication, together with talking, writing, and the flexibility to grasp language.
The assertion defined that Williams' situations have “offered important obstacles” within the star's life, acknowledging continued hypothesis about Williams' well being.
“In recent times, questions have typically been raised about Wendy's skill to course of info and plenty of have speculated about Wendy's situation, notably when she started to lose phrases, act erratically at instances, and have problem understanding phrases. monetary transactions,” the assertion reads. fastened. She added that the choice to share this information was troublesome, however by doing so, Williams and her staff hope to lift consciousness about aphasia and FTD.
This announcement comes simply two days earlier than Williams' return to tv. Two years after canceling her hit speak present, the previous “The Wendy Williams The present's host and her household will deal with hypothesis about Williams' well being and cognitive skills in a brand new Lifetime documentary, “The place's Wendy Williams?” It is going to be launched on February 24, 2024.
Since canceling her daytime speak present, Williams, 59, has remained comparatively quiet about her well-being regardless of rising rumors. However on Saturday, viewers will obtain updates on her well being and the way she bought right here. Till then, right here's what it is best to learn about Williams' well being:
Williams was identified with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia in 2023
Williams was identified with major progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in 2023, in response to the Feb. 22 launch. “Receiving a prognosis has allowed Wendy to obtain the medical care she wants,” the assertion added.
Main progressive aphasia is a kind of FTD that usually leads to the shortcoming to talk, learn, write, or perceive what folks say, in response to the Affiliation for Frontotemporal Degeneration.
FTD is brought on by the shrinkage of the frontal and temporal lobes of the mind, which management character, conduct, and language. Based on the Mayo Clinic, relying on which components of the mind are affected, somebody could expertise character modifications, akin to behaving erratically, inappropriately, or withdrawing.
FTD is typically misdiagnosed as a psychological well being situation or Alzheimer's illness, however it normally happens at a youthful age, between 40 and 65, than different kinds of dementia.
“Most individuals, once they consider the phrase dementia, consider reminiscence issues and Alzheimer's illness, however FTD doesn't truly present itself as reminiscence issues. … It impacts the way in which folks behave, how they work together with others and the way they communicate,” Dr. Sami Barmada, director of the Michigan Mind Financial institution and affiliate professor of neurology on the College of Medication, beforehand informed TODAY.com of Michigan, about Bruce Willis. who was identified with the identical situations.
The identical yr Williams was identified with aphasia and FTD, the “The place's Wendy Williams?” She needed to cease filming as a result of she entered a remedy middle for “cognitive points,” Folks reported.
There have been questions on his cognitive standing.
Earlier than Williams revealed her FTD prognosis, many individuals speculated that the star had cognitive points.
“His care staff is sharing this very private replace along with his beloved followers, mates and followers to right inaccurate and hurtful rumors about his well being,” the assertion explains.
“Sadly, many individuals identified with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, notably once they start to exhibit behavioral modifications however haven’t but acquired a prognosis.”
Williams at present has a court-appointed authorized guardian who’s overseeing her cash and well being to forestall the potential of her being exploited resulting from her cognitive points, in response to Folks.
Williams' sister, Wanda Finnie, additionally informed Folks in a narrative printed on February 21, 2024 that the star is now at a wellness middle that focuses on treating cognitive points.
Williams revealed that he was identified with Graves' illness in 2018.
In February 2018, the speak present host introduced she can be taking a three-week break from “The Wendy Williams Present” as a result of she had been identified with Graves' illness. A few week earlier, she had canceled a number of exhibits resulting from her experiencing flu-like signs. On the time, a consultant for her present informed TODAY.com in an announcement that she had had Graves' illness for “a few years.”
“Graves' illness is an autoimmune situation that stimulates receptors within the thyroid gland to provide extra thyroid hormones,” Dr. Deena Gupta-Adimoolam, a major care endocrinology and prevention specialist, tells TODAY.com. This overproduction of thyroid hormones, or hyperthyroidism, may cause an elevated coronary heart price, sweating, weight reduction, nervousness, hair loss, bother sleeping, and bulging eyes, in response to the Mayo Clinic.
Williams famous that her followers had identified modifications in her eyes when she revealed her prognosis. “Graves' illness tightens the muscle tissues behind the eyeballs,” she defined, including that this induced her eyeballs to constrict.
Williams returned to her program, however needed to take break day in 2019 and once more in 2020 to cope with her sickness.
“If hyperthyroidism is left untreated, it may be life-threatening,” says Adimoolam. Whereas there are therapies, akin to drugs, surgical procedure and remedy, Graves' illness seems completely different in every individual, he provides. Even with remedy, it could stay debilitating for some.
Williams fainted dwell on tv in 2017
In October 2017, Williams fainted through the Halloween episode of her speak present. Dressed because the Statue of Liberty, she was speaking to the digital camera after which started shaking and struggling to talk earlier than falling to the bottom. The present went to industrial, and when she got here again, she informed viewers, “That wasn't a trick. I overheated in my costume. I handed out.”
The following day, she defined that earlier than she handed out she felt “sizzling and a bit of dizzy.” She mentioned paramedics later informed her she was low on electrolytes.
“It was terrifying,” he recalled. “He was actually scary. He was so scary that the one factor I may suppose in the course of the scare was: 'Don't go close to the rostrum, as a result of that may make it worse.'”
Williams has struggled with alcohol and cocaine use.
In 2013, Williams informed NPR that she was a “actual demon” when it got here to medicine. “I used to be hooked on cocaine,” she mentioned. “Crack cocaine: cooking it and getting it within the Bronx. … Thank God the police by no means stopped me to embarrass my household and me and lose my job.”
In 2019, Williams revealed that she was dwelling in a sober home. “You realize, I've had issues with cocaine up to now and I by no means went to a spot to get remedy,” Williams mentioned throughout an episode of her present.
The trailer for his documentary and a current Folks cowl story additionally reference his alcohol consumption. In her trailer, somebody near her holds up an empty bottle of vodka and asks if she drank it in in the future. The documentary's government producer, Mark Ford, informed Folks: “She was already struggling so much bodily, after which it turned clear that there have been psychological and dependancy points that she was battling as properly.”
He fractured his shoulder in 2018.
In 2019, Selection reported that Williams fractured her shoulder in December 2018, delaying her return to the present after the vacations. Williams was initially scheduled to return to the present on January 7, however she needed to delay her return by per week to give attention to restoration.
He revealed that he has lymphedema in 2022.
Throughout a 2022 section with TMZ Stay, Williams held up a swollen foot and defined that she has lymphedema. The situation is brought on by a buildup of fluid that builds up when the lymphatic system doesn’t correctly drain fluid from numerous components of the physique, in response to the Mayo Clinic.
“I can solely really feel possibly 5% of my ft. Do you perceive?” she requested. “Usually you’d be in a wheelchair.”
What’s Wendy Williams doing at this time?
Williams is staying at a wellness middle, her sister and niece informed Folks. They mentioned that due to her court-appointed guardian, they can not contact Williams, however Williams can contact them.
“I spoke to her yesterday and I communicate to her very recurrently when she involves me. She is, from what I perceive, in an setting of well-being and therapeutic,” Wanda Finnie mentioned.
“She's in a spot of emotional therapeutic,” Finnie added. “She's not the individual you see in (the documentary).”
watch “The place's Wendy Williams?” documentary movie
The 2024 documentary “The place's Wendy Williams?” will air on Lifetime at eight pm ET/PT on February 24 and 25. You may stream it with any service that has dwell cable and it will likely be accessible to stream the subsequent day on MyLifetime.com.