When Morgan Freeman escorted Margot Robbie on stage at the 2023 Oscars, his left arm caught the attention of many. In fact, the 85-year-old actor wore an elbow-length satin black glove, which raised many concerns. And the reason behind it goes back to a heartbreaking event that transformed Freeman’s life 15 years ago.
Back in 2008, the Shawshank Redemption star was injured in a serious car accident that left him with a paralyzed left hand.
After the crash, Freeman had to undergo a 4-hour surgery in order to deal with his broken left shoulder, arm, and elbow.
A couple of years after the unfortunate event, the acclaimed actor opened up about his struggle, saying ’’I suffered nerve damage, and it hasn’t gotten better, I can’t move it.’’
He added, ’’If you don’t move your hand, it will swell up. Do you know you move your hand about a million times a day?’’
And even though doctors had reassured him that his hand would get better by 2011, this unfortunately didn’t happen to be the case.
Freeman ended up with permanent nerve damage and is still unable to wiggle his fingers.
And it seems that even 15 years later, the Oscar-winning actor is still dealing with the consequences of his accident, as we saw him wearing a glove during the ceremony.
According to experts, the compression glove works by lightly squeezing the veins in one’s hand to support blood circulation and can even help to manage tingling, pain, and swelling.
Kathy Bates: A Brave Warrior Fighting Against Cancer
Narratives of affluent Hollywood stars grappling with health issues serve as a reminder that they are akin to us. The Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates talked candidly about her fight with cancer and the difficulties she endured in silence during a recent interview on the Dr. Phil program. Even though she was well-known, Bates ended up portraying a brave heroine in a true story, overcoming cancer twice.
She said in 2012 that she had been cancer-free for nine years and had triumphantly battled ovarian cancer. But a few weeks ago, she received the heartbreaking news that she had breast cancer. She likened the moment she was given this devastating diagnosis as being in a room that was scarier than something from an American Horror Story.
In 2003, Bates had already gone through a trying time due to ovarian cancer. She kept her fight a secret while enduring grueling surgery and nine months of chemotherapy. She told just a select few people about it, including PEOPLE magazine, and stated, “It really took a lot out of me, but I didn’t want anyone to know.”
She overcame ovarian cancer and maintained her cancer-free status for many years because to her tenacity and fortitude. But when her doctor told her that the cancer had come back, this time in her breast, her fight was far from done. Bates wasn’t totally shocked by this setback, noting that breast cancer runs in her family.
Bates decided to have a double mastectomy in order to halt the spread of her breast cancer. She turned her tragedy into inspiration for other women rather than letting it break her soul. Bates kept her vibrant personality and sense of humor despite hardship. She cracked a joke, saying, “I miss ‘Harry’s Law’ more than my breasts,” and thanked her followers for their continuous support through her lowest points.
Bates no longer has cancer, but because her lymph nodes were removed, she now suffers from lymphedema. About 30% of breast cancer survivors have this illness, which makes daily living uncomfortable due to pain and edema. But Bates won’t allow it to define who she is. She candidly recounts her experience in an effort to inspire other women to make routine checkups a priority and to reassure them that they are not fighting this battle alone.
In addition, Bates has agreed to represent the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) by using her platform to advocate for people with lymphedema and to increase public awareness of the condition.
Bates has gained resilience and a sense of purpose over her experience. “I’m grateful that my difficulties have given me a sense of purpose,” she muses. It’s intriguing how events unfold in that manner.
The conversation with Kathy Bates illuminates the difficulties she overcame and offers hope to anyone who might be going through comparable struggles. Her experience serves as a reminder that, given enough willpower, empathy, and encouragement, we can turn our own hardships into assets.
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