He would pass away that same year. Here's his response. (Photo by Gary Null & Frank Carroll/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images), ELVIS PRESLEYS PAL RECALLS LAST TIME HE SAW THE KING: EVERYBODY HAD TEARS IN THEIR EYES. His health issues were varied but he hid them so well that over-medication is all we remember now, Hoedel says. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. This website is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Titled Elvis: What Happened?, the book offered the public its first look into Presley's drug use and sex life. As Elvis Presley embarked on a grueling tour, he was concerned about his health, Sally A. Hoedel claimed. Presley was found unresponsive at Graceland. He would ask her, "Would you rub my legs? This manifested most egregiously in March 1977 during two stops in Louisiana. The toxicology report from Elvis' death said he had the opiates Dilaudid, Demerol, and Percodan in his blood, not to mention Quaaludes and codeine. And you have to remember, this was a time when people really didnt talk about their health like they do now. Elvis' health problems had started long before that August day in 1977. According to a 1977 review in Alexandria Town Talk, the first show in Alexandria lasted less than an hour before Elvis had to leave the stage. He was very family-oriented, Kirk explained. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. All rights reserved. Please check your inbox to confirm. He had back pain, digestive troubles, and eye afflictions, including glaucoma. And hes the head of his whole organization. That added a lot of strain to this health. Using this knowledge she states she was able to trace back every single one of his ailments which he suffered as a child including glaucoma, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Nichopoulos, however, continued to over-prescribe to many other patients and in 1995, the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners finally and permanently suspended his medical license. Presleys physician, George Nichopoulos, or "Dr. Nick," said Presley "suffered from chronic pain from degenerative problems in his back and neck as a result of severe arthritis. But in 1976, all three were fired to "cut back on expenses." Theres a scene towards the end of the new Elvis movie when you know the end is coming soon. Dealing with addiction and health issues and having a difficult time adjusting to the shifting cultural climate of the '60s and '70s, Elvis died a Vegas showman rather than a groundbreaking rocker. He turned to food for comfort and had gained a considerable amount of weight. "People become agoraphobic. But Elvis was not suffering from garden-variety constipation at the time of his death. We just see whatever we want," Manly says. Five of those disease processes, Hoedel finds, were present from birth. As detailed in the documentary Elvis Presley: The Last 24 Hours, Elvis' final day on earth included a nighttime trip to the dentist in search of prescription drugs, a 4 a.m. game of racquetball with his cousin Billy Smith, and an impromptu piano performance of classics including "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain." If you get a severe case like Elvis Presley, your life is going to be very miserable, and you're going to die young unless you get vigorous treatments.. Five of those disease processes, she says, were present from birth. He says, Im sick, I dont feel good, but I cant stop because everybody is relying on me., Hoedel believes Presley was not a drug addict looking to escape reality. "He was encouraged to cancel the tour. needs to stop or at least radically change. After all these years people still want to know what happened to the "King." When critics and fans describe Elvis in his later years, one term used is "Fat Elvis." says Rockwell, adding that "alot is given away when an artist becomes famous that they are ill-prepared for.". As early as 1973, the year he divorced his first wife Priscilla, his health was already failing. Elvis' passing is often used as the archetypal rock star death a tragic accident caused by a poor health and drug use. As he had in recent gigs, Elvis appeared overweight and at times winded but was reported to have given a solid performance overall. Elvis Presley has become synonymous with many things, such asrock 'n'roll and fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. "So when we see a celebrity altered in any way, we can say 'Oh, see, they faltered,'or 'They're not perfect.' This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Elvis did indeed suffer from heart problems aggravated by an excessive use of drugs, but Tennant believes the ultimate cause of his death was a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a major cause of intractable pain and other chronic health problems. ", ELVIS PRESLEY BECAME A ROCK 'N' ROLL ICON WITH THE HELP OF MEMPHIS CLOTHIER: THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING'. Conditions such as post-concussion syndrome can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, headaches and difficulty concentrating. If we can strip away the negative connotations, and then look at the consequences, theres a lot of truth to be uncovered, Hoedel says. Experts say it's common for people to detach celebrities from reality and laugh at them for entertainment and amusement. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), The fifth tour of the year, comprised of 10 cities, 10 shows in 10 days, began on June 17 and ended on June 26. But when one looks at the last 12 months of Elvis' life, it becomes clear that the truth behind the King Of Rock And Roll's death might have been even stranger than the rumors people spread about him. (Sally A. Hoedel), For "Elvis: Destined to Die Young," Hoedel said she spoke to numerous sources who knew and befriended Presley over the years, and "had the privilege to see documents that people have not seen and used those for research aspects of this book. But his immune system wasnt fighting off infection as it should have. Elvis Presley skyrocketed to fame in the 1950s. And by the 70s, hes an insomniac. They finally had to give him medication just so he could sleep. He had to survive extreme poverty, and then he had to survive extreme fame. In addition to the head and heart problems, author Sally A Hoedel lifelong Elvis fan, historian and journalism graduate delved into his family history discovering more about his health. People assumed, Well, thats just an excuse to get medication. But he really was having this problem with fighting infection. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). Early on, these were heavily pushed by his manager, the infamous "Colonel" Tom Parker, who many believe swindled the naive young Elvis while running him ragged. One of the reasons Elvis turned to the medication was pain. Aside from"Elvis," newretellings like Netflix's "Blonde," starring Ana de Armas,"explore the widening split between (Marilyn Monroe)'s public and private selves.". And I believe the explanation in this book is as close as well get to fully understand what was going on in his life and what led to his death.". Linda Thompson (left) posing with her then-boyfriend Elvis Presley and her parents. When his body was discovered, attempts were made to revive him and his father, Vernon Presley, begged his son not to go. Elvis at the end of his life had more issues than the biopic cared to admit. Opening up about the tragic loss of his pal, the medical professional released a tell-all book; "The King and Dr. Nick" about his time with Elvis. As an adult, one of his favorite meals was a roll stuffed with bacon, peanut butter, and jelly, alongside midnight snacks like hamburgers and deep-fried bread. He would also often say "God, I hurt all over." However, as Presleys body was slowing down, Hoedel said his determination to hit the road endured. A new book by Sally Hoedel argues that the singer was a sick man supporting his family and friends. Its not accurate and its not enough. Elvis was sitting on the toilet, straining very hard to have a bowel movement a maneuver that put a great amount of pressure on his heart and aorta. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. Legal Statement. According to the New York Daily News, by the end of his life Elvis was consuming enough calories to feed several people every day. Sally A. Hoedel wrote a book about Elvis Presley's health history that was published in 2020 titled Elvis: Destined to Die Young. A man holds newspaper announcing his death. And he does that in the last several years of his life. "made with a jars worth of blueberry jam, a jars worth of peanut butter and an entire pound of bacon,", born inTupelo,Mississippi, on Jan.8, 1935, he placed fifth inthe 1945 Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show for a solo performance without musical accompaniment, How 'Elvis' highlights his complicated history with Black music, 45 Elvis events in the 45 years since the death of the King, We're here to help with life's everyday questions, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. In the recent HBO documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher, the singer's longtime wife Priscilla revealed that she wasn't sure whether Elvis' death was really an accident. But according to the book The Mysteries Surrounding the Death of Elvis Presley, even worse was in Baton Rouge, where Elvis had to cancel a show because he couldn't make it out of his hotel bed in order to get to the venue. But certainly back in those days we didn't, Tennant explained. Forest believes it all stemmed back to a serious head injury he sustained in 1967 that triggered a progressive autoimmune inflammatory disorder. Title track "Moody Blue" became Elvis' final Number One single; the song is in keeping with the pop music of the time, tinged with disco and exotica, but still showcases the warbling, lonely figure that the singer had become. We didnt have the empathy to talk about Elvis health problems then. Meanwhile, though his adoption of African-American musical traditions is a bone of contention for many listeners today, in his heyday it was a powerful way to put non-white rhythms in front of segregated audiences. He took too much at times but he was self-medicating because he was trying to find a way to be Elvis Presley., Addiction specialists might term that elaborate rationalisation and justification of a king-size nature, but Hoedel says Presley also felt responsible for his family (as many as 10 members lived with him at Graceland), his band and the Memphis Mafia the courtiers who surrounded him. The knowledge and experience Tennant gained in the last 50 years led to his recent book, appropriately titled The Strange Medical Saga of Elvis Presley.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "In the last few years of his life, he was very aware of how ill he was," she said. All Rights Reserved. Most worrisome to his record label, RCA, was that the King had become entirely uninterested in going into the studio and recording. His then-fiance Ginger Alden found Presleylying unconscious on the floor of the master suite bathroom, according to PBS. If you're depressed,go see a therapistor check yourself into rehab if you need to. What confused some people, though, was that Elvis took a portion of the show to introduce everyone from his life onstage. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. Elvis had a way of getting what he wanted, said Kirk. During the autopsy it became clear that Elvis did in fact have multiple heart problems, including a strained aorta and atherosclerosis. or redistributed. The tip of his tongue was clenched between his teeth and his face was blotchy. The book, "Elvis Presley: A Southern Life," also reported that the autopsy "confirmed what his doctors already knew: Elvis was chronically ill with diabetes, glaucoma, and constipation.". And it was his girlfriend Ginger Alden who found the rock and roll star's body with his pyjama bottoms around his ankles and his bottom in the air. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Well, that's not true. His medicine chest was filled with amber-colored, white-topped vials of medications, in doses no responsible doctor would have prescribed. "Elvis's story is looked on as one of destruction, but it is a futile struggle to survive, through poverty and then through health issues. And driven to continue performing by Colonel Parker and others. Thus, he likely died of a massive heart. Elvis collapsed in the bathroom 24 hours later. He was buried on the grounds of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Copyright 2023 Pain News Network / Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Advertising / Surveys / Donors. During the final months of his life, Elvis Presley was said to be in a lot of physical pain. It was hard to be Elvis, no one had done fame like that . When it comes to public figures and mental health, Manly notes that it is often difficult for those constantly in the spotlight to seek help. Fame like that clenched between his teeth and his face was blotchy fighting infection! 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