Queen guitarist Brian May is lucky to be alive following a series of harrowing medical episodes.
Back in the Spring, May, 73, tore the gluteus maximus muscle in his buttocks during what he described as a “moment of over-enthusiastic gardening.” While “Brian May Tears His Ass Muscle While Gardening” makes for a funny headline, the incident ultimately spurred on much more serious ailments that nearly cost May his life.
While getting an MRI for his gluteus maximus tear, doctors discovered that May was also suffering from a severely compressed sciatic nerve, which made it feel like “someone was putting a screwdriver in my back.” A short time later, he suffered a heart attack.
His issues didn’t end there, though. In a new interview with The London Times, May revealed that he underwent surgery to place three stents in his arteries. Afterward, he experienced complications with the medicine he was given, “one of which was a stomach explosion that nearly killed me.”
“The heart attack was a symbol of an arterial disease,” May noted, “but I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t have high cholesterol and I was exercising through the tour, so why did it happen? At least I now have a heart that is working far better than it was.”
Fortunately, May is now fully recovered and ready to get back to his day job. “I’m incredibly grateful that I now have a life to lead again,” he remarked. “I was actually very near death. … But I’m good. I’m here. I’m ready to rock.”
