Bret Michaels Suffers Transient Ischemic Attack

About a month after suffering a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), Poison frontman and Celebrity Apprentice contestant Bret Michaels has suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Considered a “warning stroke,” the TIA was diagnosed after the musician was readmitted to the hospital because of numbness on the left side of his body, primarily in his face and hands. During testing, which included an MRI and a CAT scan, Michaels’ physicians also discovered that the musician has a hole in his heart.

According to Michaels’ neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Zabramski, the musician and his family are “devastated” by these recent events, but Michaels is determined to make a full recovery in order to attend the finale of Celebrity Apprentice and return to making music.

"Medically speaking, it is a fantastic attitude both mentally and physically for him to have,” Zabramski said. “The good news is that it is operable and treatable and we think we may have diagnosed the problem that caused the ... warning stroke. However, we feel it is highly unlikely this is connected to the brain hemorrhage he suffered just a few weeks earlier. Once again, it is great that he quickly reacted to the severe numbness and got to the hospital immediately."

Michaels’ rep, Janna Elias, spoke on behalf of the musician.

“He is up, walking, talking, continuing his daily rehab and very happy to be alive, but he has made it clear he is sick and tired of being in the hospital and is ready to rock again,” Elias said.

Michaels also developed hyponatremia following the hemmorhage.