Donto James says his 72-year-old mother has been at Riverside Community Hospital for about a week and is recovering from sepsis caused by a urinary tract infection. It's believed she has had the infection for quite some time, he said.
He says she has been battling for her life and sanity" and it's possible something more serious is going on.
Donto James says his mother entered a treatment program about a month ago to shake a dependency on painkillers and over-the-counter medicine.
She was transferred to another facility and then the hospital when her physical condition worsened.
Donto James says he's not sure when his mother will be released from the hospital.
According to online resources, sepsis is a serious medical condition characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state. Severe sepsis can lead to septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death, according to wikipedia.com.
James, best known for her hit song, At Last," lives in Woodcrest.
Last year, the legendary crooner made headlines after Beyonce sang At Last" at President Obama's inaugural ball. She bashed both the president and Beyonce, however, Donto James says his mother would not have acted that way if she were in her right mindset.
He believes she may be suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
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