14 DAY TRIAL // Whitney Houston has not relapsed into drug use, says a new report. Her recent trips to rehab and the hospital are down to another, more serious condition: she’s been diagnosed with emphysema, an irreversible degenerative condition that affects the lungs.
The story comes from The National Enquirer via LimeLife, so this is a clear sign from the start that it must be taken with a sizeable grain of salt.
Either way, sources close to the singer, who is now reportedly back in rehab with her teenage daughter, who is also battling substance abuse, claim that doctors have warned her that her condition is deteriorating.
Admittedly, years of smoking have caused emphysema, whose main symptom is shortness of breath. As we also noted in April last year, Whitney was forced to push back some concert dates while being admitted into hospital for “allergies.”
“She’s developed emphysema – and her doctors are warning her she’ll die a horrible death,” a source close to Houston is telling the Enquirer, as cited by the aforementioned e-zine.
Doctors are pleading with her to stop smoking and to do something to turn her life around, start taking better care of herself, the tab argues.
“Some close to Houston will see her emphysema diagnosis as a long time coming. She’s a smoker, and even though people have reminded her that it’ll kill her voice and probably kill her, she’s stuck to the habit,” LimeLife points out.
“In fact, the person in charge with helping her kick cigs is her daughter, Bobbi Kristin, who just got out of rehab. That doesn’t sound promising,” the e-zine adds, citing the Enquirer.
A publicist for the legendary singer has already denied reports that she’s dying of the lung condition, saying the report is “completely untrue.”
Nevertheless, the fact that he wouldn’t say more of Whitney’s condition and whereabouts right now is not helping in any way in making the above story of emphysema go away – quite the contrary, actually.