Bret Michaels Postpones Tour After Emergency Kidney Stone Surgery
Bret Michaels will take three to four weeks off from his "Live and Amplified" solo tour to recover from emergency surgery for an obstructing kidney stone, according to a statement posted to his social media Monday.
The Poison frontman had continued performing through what his team described as "intense" pain in the days before the procedure. Michaels played three shows in Charleston, West Virginia, on July 10, followed by a July 11 date in Grantville, Pennsylvania, and a July 18 performance for military families at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington. After that Spokane show, the pain became unmanageable, and Michaels went directly from the stage to the hospital.
Doctors diagnosed a complicated obstructing kidney stone requiring immediate surgery, which Michaels' physician, Dr. Abby Borhan, performed by placing a ureteral stent - a small flexible tube that props the ureter open so urine can drain from the kidney to the bladder. The stent remains in place as Michaels recovers. "The operation has been done and is complete," Michaels wrote in a July 22 Facebook post. "I'm out of post-op recovery, and I'm doing everything within my power to feel better."
Monday's statement cited Michaels' broader post-operative condition, including underlying diabetes and a lower back compression fracture, as reasons doctors have restricted him from performing for three to four weeks and limited him to only light activity during recovery. He currently has 11 dates scheduled across July and August.
"I'm forever grateful for the amazing medical treatment and ongoing medical attention throughout my personal life and career, and truly grateful for family, friends, fans, band, crew and promoters for their understanding," Michaels wrote. "If all goes well, will hit the road late August back to delivering 1000% energy, intensity and truly nothing but a good time."
Fans holding tickets to the affected dates have been told to expect updates on rescheduled performances as they become available; specific new dates have not yet been announced.
