Key Takeaways
- Muni Long said doctors told her she had only a week to live before she received a double lung transplant.
- She was diagnosed with pneumonia while on tour, and her lupus contributed to the severity of her condition.
- Six months after surgery, she reports having no symptoms or infections and is completing follow-up appointments, including vocal surgery care.
Muni Long was given just a week to live. On Tuesday (June 23), the “Made For Me” singer revealed that she underwent a double lung transplant that quite literally saved her life. Now, six months post-op, she’s feeling “fabulous” and not taking anything for granted.
Speaking with “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts, the Grammy-winning musician shared that she was diagnosed with pneumonia while on the road for Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine Tour.” As someone with lupus, the illness made her feel “really sick.” She explained, “I should have never taken that tour, but there was so much going on in my life where I had to do it.”
Long understandably took a break for a few dates before deciding, perhaps regrettably, to return to the stage. However, by the fifth or sixth stop, she really started to feel the effects. “I couldn’t even get out of the bed to make my call time for stage,” the Public Displays Of Affection artist recalled. “The last show, I just barely made it. I was only able to do two songs. My team and my family were like, ‘You just need to come home and rest.'”
Muni Long’s health scare became life-or-death after being hospitalized
As Long later told Roberts, she eventually came home for the Thanksgiving holidays and “woke up in a hospital.” That was when the singer learned she needed a double lung transplant, though she admittedly knew “something was wrong” long before then. “Every day, I’m like spitting in cups, and coughing all the time, and trying to take all these medicines to just get through the day,” she said.
Given the tone and urgency from doctors, Long got the impression that she didn’t have all the time in the world. “I said, ‘How long do I have to live?’ And they go, ‘A week.’ My jaw dropped,” the musician remembered. “Literally, I was like, ‘That’s rude.’ But they were kind of like, ‘This is not a joke. You need to make a choice. You can either go to hospice, or you can get these lungs.’”
Muni Long says she has no symptoms or infections six months post-op
Thankfully, Long said she’s doing “fabulous” now. “I’m six months post-op. Actually, tomorrow is my last appointment for all the things,” she said. “No symptoms. Asymptomatic. No infections. None of that. Then I have my vocal checkup. Six months will be in August, because I had to have vocal surgery, as well.”
The singer released “Richest,” technically her first solo offering of the year, on Monday (June 22). It’s worth mentioning that she recorded the single before the procedure. As for when she’ll be able to perform again — and presumably begin making new music — the Florida native said doctors told her to expect six months to a year.
If there’s one thing Long wants her fans to take away from her experience, it’s to put themselves first. “Don’t put yourself on the back burner for everyone else. You need to focus on you. You need to pour into yourself. Don’t be afraid to say no,” she shared. “This time around, I’m definitely going to be a little bit more selfish. I’m going to take care of myself first so I can take care of everybody else.”