"Emily in Paris" star Ashley Park reveals she went into critical septic shock while on vacation
"Emily in Paris" star Ashley Park revealed on Instagram Friday that she went through a major health scare at the start of the new year after a case of tonsillitis turned into critical septic shock, infecting several of her organs.
The actor and singer who appears in the popular television series -- which Netflix just announced went into production for season four -- said she was on vacation in December for the holidays through New Year's when she fell ill.
"I hesitated to share what's been happening as I'm still in the throes of recovery…but I now know I'm safely on the other side of the worst," Park wrote alongside photos of her in a hospital bed. "As I sit here processing and recovering from the first few weeks of 2024, the only word I can think of is grateful."
Sepsis is a deadly condition that occurs when the body improperly over-responds to an infection, Dr. Anthony Fiore of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously told CBS News.
"It can be so deadly because it can lead to organ failure and death because of lack of blood flow and inflammation associated with it," Fiore said.
The condition is also time-sensitive — the longer a patient with sepsis takes to get medical treatment, the more likely it is to be fatal. Between 1 and 3 million people in the U.S. get sepsis each year and between 15% to 30% of those patients die, the CDC reports.
Symptoms of sepsis include shivering, extreme pain, disorientation and shortness of breath. The infections that most often lead to sepsis include lung infections, urinary tract infections, gut and skin infections.
While many people can recover from the condition and go back to their normal lives, others experience long-term complications if one or more of their organs are too damaged by the infection.
In her post, Park detailed that she spent time in the ICU and several hospitals with severe pain. She thanked the medical staff that helped treat her, her family and team, and most of all her boyfriend and "Emily in Paris" castmate, Paul Forman, who was with her throughout the ordeal.
"You calmed my fears and held me through ambulances, three foreign hospitals, a week in the ICU, scary ERs, countless scans and tests and injections, excruciating pain, and so much confusion all while we were alone on the other side of the world far from those we know," the 32-year-old wrote.
At the end of her post, the actress assured fans that she is getting better, writing, "I'm healing and I promise I'm gonna be okay."
Many celebrities commented on the Instagram post in support of Park, including her "Emily in Paris" co-star Lily Collins.
"I can hardly look at these without crying," Collins wrote. "I love you sister and I'm forever grateful you're on the other side of this and for @peforman for your incredibly huge heart and for being there every step of the way."
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Simrin Singh is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
