90 Day Fiance star Nicole "Nikki Exotika" Sanders apparently has a long recovery ahead of her after being hospitalized for emergency heart surgery.
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Nikki's mother Myrna Ihnken, who refers to herself as "Mama Myrna," took to Nikki's Instagram on Tuesday, May 19 to reveal that her daughter just underwent "a serious operation" the prior day.
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"It was seven hours. It was supposed to be a triple bypass but it ended up being a quadruple bypass. It was very serious. She was in there so long. We were all worried -- extremely worried," Myrna said, alongside footage of Nikki asleep in a hospital bed.
Myrna apologized to Nikki's friends for not being able to contact every single one of them with the news.
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"But I didn't know what else to do or say, not knowing how she was going to come out of this... There were about 25 people working on her. They had to put her on a breathing machine," Myrna recalled through tears.
"And they had her on that until midnight, until she started breathing better on her own. I want to thank everyone for their prayers and love."
Myrna went on to share how she had started a GoFundMe page for her daughter, which, as of May 20, has raised nearly $13,000.
"She's going to be out for a while, and so she needs help. If anyone can please find it in their heart to help her, I would appreciate it," Myrna pleaded.
"That would be so great. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and love. Thank you."
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Myrna wrote on the GoFundMe page that, prior to her surgery, the 90 Day Fiance star had been "experiencing chest pain, heartburn, shortness of breath, and difficulty while walking and exercising."
Nikki therefore visited multiple doctors late last year to try to find out what was wrong with her.
"Back in October, she first went to her primary care physician because she was having breathing issues. In November, she saw a cardiologist and completed extensive testing, including an EKG, echocardiogram, and stress test," Myrna explained.
"After all of that, she was told her heart was healthy and given a clean bill of health."
But Nikki apparently took a turn for the worse when preparing for her upcoming summer tour.
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Myrna continued of the entertainer and performer, "She continued complaining of chest pain, extreme fatigue, and becoming winded during rehearsals and performances. She thought perhaps she was just getting older and not able to keep up the way she once did."
However, during one of Nikki's performances, she apparently collapsed onstage.
"I was there supporting her and knew something was seriously wrong. A few days ago, while on her way back to the cardiologist, Nicole suffered a mild heart attack," Myrna said.
"She was rushed to the emergency room, where bloodwork revealed highly elevated troponin levels. She was immediately admitted to the hospital."
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Nikki spent time in the ICU and then doctors performed an angiogram, which showed that Nikki's arteries were severely calcified and blocked, according to Myrna.
"Unfortunately, they were unable to perform an angioplasty or place stents because the blockages were too extensive," Myrna explained.
"Nicole now requires triple bypass surgery, where surgeons will reroute blood flow around the blocked arteries using healthy blood vessels."
Myrna lamented about how she "never imagined" she'd have to watch her daughter endure such a health crisis.
"My husband and I recently retired and moved to Florida, and I flew back immediately to be by Nicole's side during this life-changing surgery and recovery," she noted.
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Myrna said Nikki had signed power of attorney over to her, allowing her to manage things while the reality TV star heals.
"This is a major surgery with a long and difficult recovery ahead. Thank God Nicole has good health insurance to cover this procedure, so we are not asking for help with her medical bills!" Myrna acknowledged.
"We are raising funds to help cover Nicole’s rent, monthly bills, living expenses, and recovery needs while she is unable to work and get back on her feet."
This isn't the first time Nikki has fought for her life in the hospital.
Nikki previously had a breast reconstruction surgery that left her fighting for her life in October. She reportedly had excessive bleeding and dangerously low blood pressure following the procedure.
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Nikki starred on 90 Day Fiance's tenth season with her then-boyfriend Justin. Nikki was a 47-year-old from New Jersey, and Justin was a 36-year-old from Moldova.
The season ended with Justin dumping Nikki, who complained during the Tell All that Justin never loved her.
Nikki and Justin discussed getting back together and making things work at the Tell All, but Nikki concluded that she was going to pull Justin's K-1 visa and finally let him go.
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