A DWTS mainstay was hospitalized after suffering a “small medical emergency” during a flight from Los Angeles to New York.
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Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba shared a video from inside an ambulance on April 17. “Yesterday was quite a day,” the 58-year-old wrote alongside the video on Instagram. “I was on my way to NY for something I am very passionate about. But had a small ‘medical emergency’ on the plane.”
“I very suddenly felt quite ill,” the DWTS star continued. “And while it seemed like food poisoning, I also suddenly broke out into a cold sweat, got dizzy, and my arms went numb.”
Inaba suffers from Sjogren’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the body’s moisture-producing glands. The condition can cause severe dry eyes, dry mouth, fatigue, and joint pain, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Normally, I handle most of my health things on my own. Like many people who live with autoimmune disease, I travel with a health tool kit and am prepared for the worst, but this scared me,” Inaba added.
“And while I was locked in the restroom, we were also experiencing turbulence and the flight attendants had been asked to sit in their seats as well. I didn’t want to have anyone else put themselves at risk… but when my arms went numb, it was time to ask for help,” she concluded in the post.
‘DWTS’ Star Shares More Details Following Getting Hospitalized After Emergency on Flight
The DWTS judge later elaborated on the harrowing episode.
“I received some assistance on the plane from the flight crew and a doctor onboard, which I am very thankful for, and went to the hospital upon landing, as well as received fluids,” she told USA Today.
Inaba gave a shoutout to the paramedics “who treated me with care and respect in a scary moment, even when my blood pressure dropped” as she took a not-so-glamorous ride to the hospital.
Once stabilized, Inaba said she went to her hotel and continued to receive fluids there.
“I’m resting up and looking forward to getting back into my advocacy work soon,” she explained. “I’m so grateful to the people who took care of me and helped me through such a scary experience.”
USA Today reported that authorities confirmed a medical emergency occurred on a Delta flight at John F. Kennedy Airport’s Terminal 4 around 2:37 p.m. on April 15. Port Authority Police and EMS responded, and the individual was taken to the hospital.
Inaba has served as a judge on Dancing With the Stars since it first aired on ABC in 2005. DWTS concluded its 34th season last year.