Christopher Maloney has returned to Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool to thank the team he credits with saving his life after he fell ill over Christmas.
The singer,42, returned to the medical centre earlier this week to pose with the nurses who he credits with saving his life, and their continued support throughout his illness.
Christopher looked a picture of health in the wholesome snaps in comparison to the ones he took himself while recovering in hospital just a couple of weeks ago.
The former X Factor star looks glowing, but appears to have shed a considerable about of weight since being hospitalised.
The 42-year-old star was appearing as Prince Charming in Bradford Playhouse’s production of Cinderella over the festive period when he fell ill.
(Image: Christopher Maloney)
(Image: Christopher Maloney)
After the cast and crew threw a party for his birthday on Boxing Day, Chris went back to his hotel while everyone else headed out on the town, and ordered himself some well deserved grub.
Speaking to Mirror Online about his horrific ordeal, the 42-year-old reality star explained:
“I nearly died. They were going to remove my colon and put me on a colostomy bag.
“I honestly nearly died, my organs were shutting down.”
(Image: Gareth Jones Photographer)
After tucking into his order of crispy duck pancakes at around 7pm, things went downhill rapidly as the former CelebrityBig Brother star began to develop severe stomach pain.
He told us: “I ended up only eating the crispy duck and pancakes at about 7 o’clock.
“Then around 12.30am that was it, everything went downhill, I was literally on the floor and in the toilet, I was ill, it was just horrendous.
“I had fever, I had hallucinations and I couldn’t sleep because I was constantly going to the toilet and vomiting, it was just horrendous.”
Over the following days Christopher, 42, managed to get through a further seven performances before travelling to Manchester for a sold-out gig on New Year’s Eve.
(Image: Gareth Jones Photographer)
Unable to keep anything down, the reality star explained that he survived on a few slices of pineapple each day and sips of water.
After arriving home on New Years Day following the gruelling tour, Christopher collapsed.
His mother, Patricia, rang an ambulance straight away and the reality star was rushed to Aintree University Hospital where he spent the next 12 days under the care of the Gastroenterology team on Ward 10.
After a series of tests, including a x-rays, CT scan and colonoscopy, Christopher was diagnosed with campylobacter food poisoning, dehydration and exhaustion.
(Image: Twitter)
(Image: Twitter)
Opening up about the life-changing episode, the singer revealed that he didn’t think he would make it through at one point.
He added: As soon as I was in the hospital bed I barely had the energy to sit up or go to the bathroom, I was just completely done in.”
Christopher has been left with colitis of the large intestine, a chronic condition that causes inflammation and will require monitoring for the foreseeable future and a dramatic change in his diet and lifestyle.
(Image: Supplied)
The 42-year-old praised the hard-working team who inevitably saved his life.
“I cannot fault the team at Aintree, everyone from the doctors and nurses to the domestics and healthcare assistants, they were brilliant.”
Despite his return to health, Christopher has been advised that the transition will take time, and it will be well over a year before he will be back to his full health.
“I’ve got a meeting with a dietician to understand what I can and can’t eat but I won’t be having a takeaway any time soon.”
“I’ve been told not to expect miracles. It could take up to a year to get completely back to normal but I’m really optimistic and I know I’m in safe hands with the team at Aintree.”
Jane Williams, Matron for Gastroenterology at Aintree University Hospital, said: “It’s always nice to hear positive comments from our patients.
“Chris was really poorly when he was last here so it was great to see him smiling and full of energy and shows that it’s a job well done by all the staff involved in his care at Aintree.”
