Libra Thompson is on the mend after a scary medical emergency.
The Big Brother season 10 contestant revealed in an Instagram post Monday that she suffered a stroke earlier this month while attending a conference for work, and has since learned that it was caused by a hole in her heart.
“After being finally able to sort through it all… I would like to thank each and everyone for reaching out and sending me well wishes,” she began her post, which also featured a photo of her smiling and flashing a thumbs-up in a hospital bed. “I unfortunately experienced a stroke event on February 1st while I was in San Antonio attending a conference luckily my roommate, co-worker, and friend was there!!”
Thompson went on to thank her neurologist and the team of medical professionals at San Antonio’s Methodist Metropolitan hospital who tended to her care. “I am most grateful that they were able to pinpoint a cause [of] my stroke, although [it] was considered a cryptogenic stroke it was found to be due to me having a PFO — patent foramen ovale, which is a small hole in my heart,” she explained.
Thompson said next steps will be to meet with a neurologist and cardiologist who specialize in treating PFO and coming up with a treatment plan. She then asked her friends to help with her medical costs.
“I would be most grateful for anything that you could give,” she wrote. “I really hate asking, but pride aside, donate days would help me out tremendously! I will have considerable amount of medical bills while being on an unpaid FMLA leave and I am finding out that heart surgery is some of the most expensive around.”
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Thompson concluded her note “with a grateful heart,” adding, “All that being said I am so blessed that I am on the other side of this and I am on the mend!”
On her Big Brother stint, Thompson ultimately placed ninth, became the first member of the jury, and won a Hawaiian vacation and $1,000. Fans of the show will recall Thompson’s famous line “Does anyone want cake?” during the infamous “Keesha Birthday Fight.”
Unlike many other houseguests, Thompson has not gone on to appear in any other reality TV shows since her time on Big Brother, according to her IMDB page. Per her LinkedIn, she currently works in Texas as a behavior instructional coach.