Jeannie Mai’s Fiancé Opens Up About How She “Couldn’t Breathe” Before Epiglottitis Diagnosis

From Prevention

• Jeannie Mai’s fiancé Jeezy opened up about the moment he knew she was sick prior to her official epiglottitis diagnosis.

• Jeezy said Jeannie started having breathing problems, which prompted them to rush to the emergency room.

• Jeannie discovered she was battling a “dangerous infection” that closed 60% of her airway, and she is currently recovering from emergency surgery.

Jeannie Mai is on the road to recovery. In a new interview on The Real, her fiancé Jeezy opened up about how the the former Dancing with the Stars contestant initially knew something was wrong before she was diagnosed with epiglottitis, a life-threatening condition that occurs when tissue protecting the windpipe becomes inflamed, often due to infection.

Jeannie announced her sudden exit from Dancing with the Stars last week. “I would never imagine ever having to write this, but I made it safely out of my emergency surgery,” she wrote on Instagram, thanking the doctor who identified her “potentially life-threatening” condition. “What simply started as a sore throat had unbeknownst to me become a dangerous infection that already closed at least 60% of my airway and resulted in a throat abscess that spread in a matter of three days.”

Jeezy explained that Jeannie had an abscess in her throat, which was blocking her airways. “She began to get sick. She had some problems with her throat, and we took her to the doctor and they gave her a shot of steroids and everything was good,” he said. “It happened again, and I just started to notice she was having problems breathing.”

Then, one morning, she got up and couldn’t breathe. “I grabbed her immediately, took her to the emergency room,” he said. “They found something, but they didn’t know [what].”

The couple sought a second opinion from another doctor, who diagnosed her with epiglottitis. “The doctor immediately looked at her and told her, ‘You’re done with Dancing with the Stars. You’re done. This is life-threatening. If you don’t get it fixed right now, you could possibly lose your life,’” Jeezy recalled, adding that the news was “the hardest thing ever” because Jeannie is “not a quitter.”

“If you would have waited one more day, your throat would have closed up,” her doctor told her, per People.

Following her diagnosis, Jeannie underwent emergency surgery. In an Instagram Story from Nov. 5, she opened up about how she was recovering four days after the procedure. “No speaking. No chewing. No bad T-shirts,” the 41-year-old wrote alongside a photo of her in a hospital room.

A week later, Jeezy says Jeannie is feeling much better. “She’s doing well,” he told Loni Love on The Real. “She’s eating everything in the house, but she’s definitely doing well.”

Although Jeannie is grateful for her health, she’s “devastated” to be ending her journey on Dancing with the Stars. “Dancing on this show has been the most exhilarating adventure. I’ve gained both beautiful friendships and loving supporters,” she wrote on Instagram. “To my partner, @Brandonarmstrong, I’m sorry you don’t get to make fun of my moves anymore while I gift you life gems on how to be a grown up. 🤭🤪 Love u so much lil bro, and will ALWAYS cherish the memories we made!!!”

Due to her departure, Dancing With the Stars released a touching video to celebrate her time on the show. Jeannie called it an “unforgettable experience of a lifetime.”

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