RHOC star Vicki Gunvalson reveals near-deadly sepsis infection after pneumonia misdiagnosis

Vicki Gunvalson, former star of The Real Housewives of Orange County, has opened up about a recent health scare that nearly turned fatal due to a severe infection. In the latest episode of her podcast My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast, Gunvalson, 62, revealed that she experienced stroke-like symptoms after a sinus infection escalated into pneumonia, which then developed into sepsis. This life-threatening condition left her with a 10 to 20 percent chance of survival, according to her doctors.

Gunvalson shared that she first noticed something was wrong while on a family vacation in Europe in early August. Despite being prescribed antibiotics, her condition worsened upon returning home, leading to amnesia and confusion. "I was talking gibberish and didn’t have any knowledge to know something was going wrong," she said.

After a second trip to the hospital, doctors diagnosed her with sepsis, a condition that can be fatal if not treated promptly. "Yes, the sepsis that went to your body is deadly and you survived it," a medical professional informed her, Gunvalson recalled.

Her boyfriend, Michael Smith, also described the harrowing moment when he found Gunvalson unconscious in a bathtub, adding, "One of the scariest things for me was when I walked in... she was pretty much passed out." Smith's quick actions likely saved her life, and Gunvalson credits him and his daughter for getting her the urgent care she needed.

Despite being treated with antibiotics and steroids, Gunvalson remains fatigued and weak, saying, "I’m having a hard time getting it up. So that’s my biggest thing." Her podcast co-host, Christian Gray Snow, described the ordeal as "nothing short of devastating," while producer Pat Safford from Hurrdat Media called it a "scary" situation.