Jeff Bridges survived non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a severe case of COVID-19 in 2021
Jeff Bridges provides an update on his cancer, after recovering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a severe case of COVID-19 in 2021.
When he first discovered a tumor while exercising, “it was a 12 inch by 9 inch tumor in my body. Like a child in my body. It didn’t hurt or anything. either,” he told PEOPLE last year.
Now Bridges, 73, recounts AARP in their latest cover story, the tumor shrank “to the size of a marble” after infusion chemotherapy and oral chemo.
In January 2021, he nearly died when he contracted COVID (the vaccine was not yet available). The chemotherapy treatment had weakened his immune system and the virus had hit him hard.
“My wife Sue was my absolute champion,” he says AARP. “She really fought to stop me from using a ventilator. I didn’t want to be on it, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want it, but she was adamant.”
Related: The life of Jeff Bridges in photos
Related:Jeff Bridges says he was ‘close to death’ from COVID while undergoing chemo for cancer
Bridges spent nearly five months in the hospital and was eventually treated with convalescent plasma (a therapy that uses the blood of people who have recovered from illness to help others recover.)
Now he feels good almost every day and has started filming season 2 of The old manaccording AARP.
“I’m so lucky to have this cast,” he told the magazine. “Getting back to what invigorates you feels good, man.”
After her experience with cancer, Bridges feels grateful to be alive, and playing has an important purpose:
“I feel like the times are forcing us to be as creative as possible,” he says. “We should all work together to do something beautiful, like we do in the movies.”
For more People news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
