The 60-year-old artist - who was diagnosed with an aggressive type of bladder cancer in 2020 - was travelling back to the UK from Australia via Thailand when she fell seriously ill. Picture: REUTERS/Neil Hall
Tracey Emin was rushed to hospital in Thailand after her "small intestine nearly exploded".
The 60-year-old artist - who was diagnosed with an aggressive type of bladder cancer in 2020 - was travelling back to the UK from Australia via Thailand when she fell seriously ill and was admitted to a medical centre to treat complications from an infection and scar tissue from her previous cancer surgeries - and Emin says she used up one of her "nine lives".
In a post on Instagram, she explained: "This is my first post in a long time. I’ve had shows , I’ve been travelling and I’ve been very unwell.
"Not cancer but horrible complications with my intestines bought on by an infection, scar tissue and made a million times worse by flying.
"My small intestine nearly exploded. Luckily for me I was in Thailand on my way back from Australia, so I spent a few days in a very good hospital."
After leaving hospital, Emin holed up in a luxury hotel on the island of Phuket and is planning to stay in Thailand until she's well enough to travel.
Emin added: "Now recovering in luxury ... Apart from using up another one of my 9 lives . I’d say I was very lucky. I’m now on a special diet and will fly when I’m well enough. Meanwhile it’s absolutely fantastic to be in love, not to be in pain and know how lucky I am.
"Thank you @bangkokhospitalphuket and @amanpuri for looking after me."
In a later comment on her Instagram post, Emin admitted she was lucky not to have been on a flight when she fell ill because she could have died without prompt medical treatment.
She added: "I was lucky not to be in the air, I was lucky that the doctor I saw knew what was wrong and I was lucky to be close to a good hospital and I was very lucky that my small intestine didn’t explode and I lucky that I didn’t die or end up with a second stoma and bag attached to me.
"I was in the right place at the right time. I’d call that lucky. I’ve been an artist all my life I’m very, very lucky."