CELINE'S NIGHTMARE
Celine Dion moans in pain as she’s carried away by paramedics in new documentary on Stiff Person Syndrome battle
The singer has experienced voice changes and excruciating spasms due to her battle with the disease
CELINE Dion has offered a glimpse into the intense symptoms of living with stiff person syndrome in her new documentary.
The singer was diagnosed with the disease in 2022 and opened up about her condition in her latest project, I Am: Celine Dion, released on Tuesday.
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At the beginning of the documentary, Celine, 56, is shown lying in the fetal position on the floor, moaning in pain.
Paramedics were there to help the My Heart Will Go On singer, and one asked her to communicate by squeezing his hand.
Celine didn't respond, and the medical team picked her up, fastened her to a stretcher, and wheeled her out of the room.
The superstar had a similar occurrence later in the documentary when she experienced tremors throughout her whole body, making her unable to move.
Medics again were by the mom of three's side while she continued to moan and cry by the intensity of the tremors.
Her symptoms eventually subsided after she was given Valium to calm her down and a nasal spray.
LOSING CONTROL
"Every time something like this happens, it makes you feel so embarrassed, and so… it's just, you don't like to not have control of yourself," Celine told the cameras about the terrifying incident.
One of the medics explained that the sudden attack occurred because her "brain was overstimulated" after singing in the studio.
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Celine shared her frustration about the event and asked, "So what's going to happen?
"If I can't get stimulated by what I love and, then I'm going to go onstage, and you're going to put the pulse accelerator on me and turn me on my back?"
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"It's scary, I know," the medic replied. "This is not the end of your journey. But there's always that step in the journey."
Celine shared more about her heartbreaking diagnosis in the Amazon Prime documentary, including that she first began experiencing symptoms 17 years earlier.
She revealed it started with her voice changing to the point where she couldn't control it, which concerned her about performing on stage.
The Taking Chances singer hasn't performed since 2020 as her symptoms have progressed.
What is stiff person syndrome?
Celine Dion stepped out of the spotlight after she was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition
Stiff person syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that progresses over time.
The condition causes pain and muscle spasms that worsen over the years.
The condition is characterized by "progressive stiffness and painful spasms in the back and limbs, which are often triggered by touch, noise or anxiety, and exacerbated by movement," per Contact A Family, a charity for families of children with disabilities.
There is currently no cure, but death from the condition is rare.
Strong spasms in the chest can sometimes cause difficulty breathing.
Celine was diagnosed with the rare autoimmune and neurological syndrome six years after her husband, René Angélil, died from throat cancer.
The incurable condition causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms, but medication and physical treatment can make the disorder easier to manage.
NOTHING'S STANDING IN HER WAY
Despite her health setback, Celine has vowed to be there for her children as their only living parent.
"She made a vow that she would never let her sons not have a parent around, especially after the loss of René hit them so so hard," a friend of the hitmaker exclusively told The U.S. Sun.
"Celine lives for her children and is so invested in them," the insider continued.
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"Her priority has always been being a mother, and while her career and singing comes a close second, her prime focus is supporting them as they grow."
Celine has three children, René-Charles, 23, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 13.
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