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A former contestant from “Dancing with the Stars” was recently hospitalized over something she initially thought was simple and non-problematic, and she is urging others to learn from her mistake.
Melissa Gilbert partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy for season 14 of “DWTS.” The former “Little House on the Prairie” star sustained a mild concussion during the spring 2012 competition after hitting her head on Chmerkovskiy’s leg. She remained in the competition, though, and the pair finished in fifth place. Her IMDb page reveals she has continued to work in the years since hitting the dance floor, but somewhat sporadically. In May 2022, Gilbert told “Good Morning America” she had moved away from Hollywood, and for several years, lived in rural Michigan with her husband, Timothy Busfield. “I had to get out of Los Angeles to actually age… I love all these changes,” she explained. Gilbert and Busfield later moved to the Catskills in New York and found “this rundown hunting cabin in the middle of 14 acres and set about restoring it ourselves.” While their life there has been wonderful, a recent incident left Gilbert rattled and hospitalized.
Here’s what you need to know:
Melissa Gilbert Got a Bug Bite That Caused Issues
On May 26, Gilbert shared an Instagram post revealing the wild incident that included an overnight hospitalization. “A Public Service Announcement: Well that was a fun night in the ER (she said with dripping sarcasm),” Gilbert’s caption began. The initial photo showed Gilbert’s hand with an IV in it and there was a hospital band on her wrist. She explained, “Two days ago a flying insect (not bee or wasp) [bit] my arm. By last night my arm was incredibly swollen, red and hot.” She contacted her doctor, who told her to head to the Emergency Room. Gilbert resisted, initially, but admitted Busfield said, “Absolutely not. We are going!”
After a series of tests, Gilbert was diagnosed with cellulitis and an abscess. She started to feel better immediately after an IV containing Benadryl, a pain reliever, and an antibiotic was started, although she was unable to sleep overnight. Once home, she started a similar trio of medications orally. “The lesson-take bug bites seriously! If it swells up like crazy (my whole arm was swollen!), don’t wait to get treated,” the former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant cautioned.
Gilbert’s Fans Shared Similar Experiences
The former “Little House on the Prairie” star also noted, “Back in the days of #lauraingallswilder, this would’ve meant death or amputation. There’s treatment available.” Gilbert promised she was going to rest and take her medications as prescribed, and she gave the Bon Secours Hospital in Port Jervis, New York a shout-out before putting herself back into bed. As of this writing, Gilbert has not provided any additional updates via her Instagram page, and Busfield does not post to his page frequently, although it seemed she was recovering well.
More than 14,000 people showed their support for Gilbert by liking the post, including former “Dancing with the Stars” host Tom Bergeron, and nearly 2,000 people also commented. Quite a few commenters detailed similar experiences with bug bites or other similar issues, and many of Gilbert’s fans tagged Busfield and noted their gratitude he had insisted on heading to the ER.
“Big time healing energy being sent your way! So very sorry,” one person commented.
“Get well soon!!! Yes, never take health conditions lightly even an insect bite!!! I am glad that you are okay,” shared another.
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