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.". They have families to look after. 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 rest of the tour was subsequently canceled, acting for many historians as a benchmark of just how far the King had fallen from the pedestals of his youth. Elvis was a very kind hearted person. "He believed he could conquer all his problems himself. These interviews provided us with an extraordinary opportunity to learn about Elvis' health, personal life and legacy. He had a private doctor who would prescribe him any pill he asked for, according to a People Magazine storyshortly after his death. Always seek the advice of a physician or healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. One of the reasons Elvis turned to the medication was pain. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. All rights reserved. In the end, he died a lonely man whose ornate home became the embodiment of Heartbreak Hotel., Left: Dr. George Nichopoulos, aka "Dr. Nick," traveled with Elvis, and carried three suitcases of pills to make sure he could fulfill any of Elvis' needs. He was a severely injured and ill man. In November 1976, Elvis split with his girlfriend of four years Linda Thompson, according to The Wrap. More: Austin Butler's 'Elvis' acting lessons began when Tom Hanks delivered a typewriter to his door. "In 1956 they didn't understand that these pills could become addictive. Elvis' passing is often used as the archetypal rock star death a tragic accident caused by a poor health and drug use. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images). That added a lot of strain to this health. (Getty Images). The autopsy results are due to be unlocked in 2027, but until then, the biggest insight into the star's mysterious death has come from prominent California physician, Forest Tennant, who actually reviewed the report while defending Elvis' doctor, Dr. George Nichopoulos, who was later acquitted of over-prescribing drugs. Kirk, her husband and their daughters soon found themselves living in Graceland. The maids were like family. "I think that younger people today are really responding to vulnerability in ways that an older generation just didnt. The King of Rock 'n'Rollshocked prudish 1950s America with his hip swiveling and unprecedented charmandwas treated as an icon untilhistragic final years. Elvis Presley collector reveals why the King is more valuable 45 years after his death. ", PAT BOONE RECALLS MEETING PAL ELVIS PRESLEY: 'HE WAS JUST A SCARED YOUNG KID' "Everything with Elvis has to be looked at through a historical lens," Hoedel continued. It was claimed that over the last 20 months of Elvis' life, Dr. Nick prescribed him over 12,000 pills. "In the last few years of his life, he was very aware of how ill he was," she said. But he still sang like The King.. Williams herself recently told a photographer that she is "formerly retired" and wants to appear on shows including "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and "The View.". He was very family-oriented, Kirk explained. says Rockwell, adding that "alot is given away when an artist becomes famous that they are ill-prepared for.". His mothers family including three uncles were cursed by early death, the author Sally Hoedel says. Her new book, which comes out on Sept. 15, is titled "Destined to Fly: The Story of Pilot Ron Strauss From Iowa to Elvis," which tells the little-known tale of Presleys pilot. That always stayed with him. Elvis Presley skyrocketed to fame in the 1950s. 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. As early as 1973, the year he divorced his first wife Priscilla, his health was already failing. The grave of singer Elvis Presley in Graceland. Market data provided by Factset. According to Practical Pain Management irrational and illogical behaviour can also occur after sustaining a heavy blow to the head. They were all connected. In recent years, Hollywood has tried to spread awareness about thehuman aspects of celebrities. As he began to age, his mental health problems began to surface and people didn't know what to make of that, because many assume that type of person should be impervious to human issues," says Carla Manly, a clinical psychologist and author ofJoy from Fear. Mystery has long surrounded the death of Elvis Presley after his family sealed the results of his autopsy for 50 years. Slurring his words. The drugs included uppers, downers, and powerful painkillers such as Dilaudid, Quaalude, Percodan, Demerol, and cocaine hydrochloride in quantities more appropriate for those terminally ill with cancer.". In the last years of his life, he suffered from many heart-attack-provoking factors: a high-sugar, high-fat diet high blood pressure chronic insomnia liver damage rheumatoid arthritis chronic drug addiction You can unsubscribe at any time. As soon as we begin to objectify real people, "we completely remove the individual's personality, their true selves. Elvis Presley in concert circa 1977. '", But in the case of Elvis, Manly notes, it would have been "muchmore difficultthan your average Joe, who isn't worried about how people will be looking at him. Elvis Presley with his girlfriend Ginger Alden in March 1977 in Hawaii. At 8:00 pm, Dr. Francisco, who only witnessed the autopsy, acted without the consent or agreement of the other two pathologists in announcing to the press that preliminary autopsy findings indicated that Elviss death was due to a cardiac arrhythmia and that drugs were not involved. 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. Theres a scene towards the end of the new Elvis movie when you know the end is coming soon. It was hard to be Elvis, no one had done fame like that before, and no one else could do it for him. The King's only true friend near the time of his death was arguably Letitia Henley, his live-in nurse. Well, that's not true. His doctor tried at one point to see if he could sleep without anything. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He was miserable because hed gained so much weight. So we know that its physically hard on his body and thats why hes taking more medication when hes on the road. A new book by Sally Hoedel argues that the singer was a sick man supporting his family and friends. I walked over, lifted his chin, and said, Elvis, if you talk to me, you look at me, she said. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images). Nick, was at Elvis beck and call for nearly a decade. Some of the symptoms of this problem include fatigue, fainting spells and high blood pressure. Evidence from the official autopsy, medical professionals and Sallys book all point to the same thing, that Elvis had serious health issues long before his death in 1977. I knew he was dead.". Instead of rushing an unconscious Elvis to a hospital, manager Tom Parker --- played by a surprisingly villainous Tom Hanks -- declares that the show must go on and summons Dr. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! But Tennant thinks Presley had all the symptoms of EDS, including an unusual degree of flexibility and double jointness that allowed him to swing his hips and gyrate wildly. "Its hard for us to imagine [that he was in physical pain] because he once appeared so perfect on the outside that he couldn't have been flawed on the inside," author Sally A. Hoedel told Fox News Digital. 'Stan' culture: needs to stop or at least radically change. (According to the medical examiner's report, How Austin Butler vanished into the role of Elvis Presley, Austin Butler rules as the King, butBaz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' is an unchained mess, Carson Daly says he's suffered from anxiety, panic attacks on 'The Voice', Lessons for all of us in 'The Kardashians' finale. Dr. Howard Markel. In 1980, the not-so-good doctor was indicted again for overprescribing to Presley as well as Jerry Lee Lewis, but was acquitted again. Presley was a long-time abuser of opiates, which not only kill pain but also cause savage constipation. He missed Priscilla. It takes hours to die from drugs.". He was later pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital. This can lead to constipation which the star was famously trying to rid when he passed away. He allegedly told her, "I cant baby, I cant stop right now. Elvis Presley had multiple diseases. According to Elvis: Destined to Die Young, the singers downward spiral, punctuated by health problems routinely written off as the consequences of addiction, could have been caused by Presleys maternal grandparents, who were first cousins. Elvis was taken by ambulance to the Baptist Memorial Hospital, where the medical staff was known to be more discrete than the far-closer Methodist South Hospital. Austin Butler chats with USA TODAY's Marco Della Cava about starring in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" as the title character alongside Tom Hanks. But Elvis was not suffering from garden-variety constipation at the time of his death. They show a tired and very sick man, aged beyond his years and sweating profusely. "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. Growing up in the South, Elvistook comfort in greasy homestyle foods. And he would say, I cant. It's more difficult to project onto that person that idealof perfection.". He would pass away that same year. "It doesn't get better than that. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The toxicology report from Elvis' death said he had the opiates Dilaudid, Demerol, and Percodan in his blood, not to mention Quaaludes and codeine. The colon is the longest part of the large intestine and when blocked causes a megacolon. His access to medications was overwhelming, she claimed. Pain News Network is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit online news service for information and commentary about chronic pain and pain management. Within the book Sally revealed that Elvis grandparents were first cousins. Kirk first met Presley in 1968 when she treated him at a Memphis medical clinic for saddle sores, Closer Weekly reported. The grave of singer Elvis Presley in Graceland. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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He was depressed about aging and not having a woman he loved. Elviss story is looked on as one of destruction, but it is a futile struggle to survive, through poverty and then through health issues, she says. He once told me, You never hear Superman asking for help.", "The touring is difficult," Hoedel explained. As someone who loves this struggling individual, the young woman started to become concerned with her lover's health as it rapidly declined. And with his gruelingrecording and concert schedules, many speculated that he was strugglingwith isolation in Graceland as well as the pressures to excelafter his hiatus inthe Army and the booming popularity of The Beatles. During the final months of his life, Elvis Presley was said to be in a lot of physical pain. The jury thought Dr. Nick was acting in the best interests of the patient (an extremely improbable conclusion, it seems to this doctor) and was acquitted. But who knows? (The doctor said they were for Presley's entourage as well.) By then, he really needs a lot of medication to achieve any form of sleep And hes taking things like Valium to achieve sleep because he literally cannot sleep any other way. Suffering high blood pressure, liver damage, glaucoma and an enlarged colon Presley died of a heart attack in his bathroom, his body pumped full of prescription pills, many administered by Letetia. All proceeds from sales of The Strange Medical Saga of Elvis Presley go the Tennant Foundation, which gives financial support to Pain News Network and sponsors PNNs Patient Resources section. But for Tennant, that wasn't enough to explain the long list of maladies that afflicted the rock star from the late 1960s onwards. The singers incredibly unhealthy diet consisting mostly of cheeseburgers and chronic constipation inevitably contributed to these problems. But by 1976, Elvis wasn't just getting his uppers and downers from his manager. "He knew what he was doing," she said, "and people go, 'Why didn't anyone do anything?" Austin Butler's 'Elvis' acting lessons began when Tom Hanks delivered a typewriter to his door, Netflix's "Blonde," starring Ana de Armas, (Marilyn Monroe)'s public and private selves. What were Elvis Presley's health issues that plagued him during his short life? adios.". Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox. It was clear that, from the moment he landed on the floor, Elvis hadnt moved.. Some experts agree Elvis may have been performing at a feverish pace to meet fans' demands at the expense of his well-being. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. This statement was subsequently demonstrated not to be the case. Sure, Elvis will always be remembered for "Jailhouse Rock" and "Can't Help Falling In Love With You", but these final tracks are a testament that even lonely, depressive Elvis had a message that would resonate with audiences for years to come. Theyre killing me." He needed a full-time nurse and apparently refused to bathe throughout 1975, causing him to develop sores on his body. A diagnostic screening tool for EDS didnt exist when Elvis was alive and few physicians were even aware of the condition. Mourners stayed all night outside Graceland, where 42-year-old Elvis Presley died. Elvis Presley performing in Burbank, California, June 1968. The music icon passed away nearly 43 years ago, on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42 from a heart attack, which. The doctor remained by Elvis' side during his drug addiction and where there on the tragic day of his death and claims in an autopsy, stunned medics found a four-month-old stool blocking his gut. So what had caused all of these disease processes in his stomach, liver, lungs, heart, spine, eyes and bowel? In 2020, Glenn Danzig, heavy metal vocalist and frontman of horror-punk act The Misfits, released Danzig Sings Elvis, an album of Elvis covers. 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. "The phone rings intercom," said Joe Esposito, foreman of the Memphis Mafia. Legal Statement. 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.". He had to survive extreme poverty, and then he had to survive extreme fame. "Not getting to know them well, shortly after Elvis passed away, I was extremely disappointed to see the character of some that Elvis had around him," she said in a 2019 interview with Elvis' Australian fan club while promoting her book Elvis and Ginger: Elvis Presley's Fiance and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story.