In a candid interview with @PEOPLE, Tameka Foster, the ex-wife of singer Usher, opens up about a harrowing experience that occurred during a planned liposuction surgery back in 2009. What was meant to be a routine cosmetic procedure turned into a life-threatening situation when Foster went into cardiac arrest while under anesthesia, moments before the surgery was set to begin.
Foster revealed that she never actually underwent the liposuction procedure, as the medical emergency occurred before the surgeon even entered the room. The sudden cardiac arrest not only shocked Foster but also forced her to reevaluate her perspective on beauty and self-care. She tells the outlet that the health scare served as a wake-up call for her, prompting her to shift towards a more “natural” approach to achieving her health and fitness goals. “I still care about looks and vanity, but I plan to do it the natural way. That’s all. Totally,” she says. “It made me be a little less lazy about getting to my goals, and I just changed my diet and now I do intermittent fasting and things like that.”
Despite facing criticism and scrutiny in the past, particularly during her marriage to Usher from 2007 to 2009, Foster expressed a newfound sense of self-acceptance and a reduced focus on external appearances. She acknowledged that while she still values beauty and vanity, her priorities now lie in maintaining a healthy balance and embracing her natural self.
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Looking back on the traumatic incident in 2009, Foster’s resilience and determination to prioritize her health shine through. The revelation of her cardiac arrest and subsequent medically induced coma shed light on the dangers associated with cosmetic procedures and the importance of making informed decisions when it comes to one’s well-being.
“So I lost probably 20 lbs. before we started filming the show [Bold & Bougie]. In the past year, I’ve been really diligent about keeping my weight to a certain number,” she adds. “I mean, I go up and down, but yeah, I do care less about it. I’m not as anal about it.”
As Foster continues to navigate her journey towards self-improvement and self-love, her story serves as a powerful wake up fall of the fragility of life and the resilience that can emerge from facing adversity head-on. Tameka Foster’s reflection on her near-death experience during a routine surgery is a testament to her strength, courage, and unwavering commitment to living a healthier and more authentic life.