another one year projectThis year we follow the words of Oprah Winfrey

Last weeks cover of People magazine says it all, “I’m lucky to be alive.” Rocker Bret Michaels was one of the top rockers of the 80’s as the frontman for Poison. In 2007 he reinvented himself as the bad boy of reality TV with Rock of Love and now he is on Celebrity Apprentice. The money he raises goes to fund diabetes- he is a lifelong sufferer. He lives with his girlfriend Kristi and their two daughters, 9 year old Rain and 5 year old Georgia. About a month ago he was home with his family when he felt something explode in his head. He woke up Kristi and said that he had to go to the ER. He said it felt like he had been shot- he had a severe brain hemorrhage, the doctors said that he might want to say goodbye  to his children. Doctors say that shear will to live helped to pull him through, after 3 days of drifting in and out of consciousness he survived. He joins Oprah by Skype from Phoenix. He says that he is very glad to be alive. He says that it sounded like a small handgun was going off in his head. It felt like a pop, they call it a thunderclap and he had an instantaneous migraine x10. He went into adrenaline survival mode and woke up Kristi. It was sudden, there was no lead-up to the event. By the time they got to the hospital, the pain got worse, the drive felt like it took an eternity and his head felt so bad that he couldn’t get out of the car. The doctors came out with a wheelchair and they did a CAT scan. The doctor’s face went white around that point. Bret said that if there was a chance that he would survive he didn’t want his daughters to see him like this. He asked God to let him live through this. He got really sad and talked to God. Oprah asks if God talked back. Bret says that he may have done. Bret knows he’s done a lot of bad things and he promised that he’d be different in the future. The event put everything in perspective really quickly: it’s your family and friends and not career or anything that matters. You think about the only thing that matters which is taking care of your kids and thanking God.

On April 23rd, he had a brain hemorrhage, all Kristi could think of was that she didn’t want her daughters to grow up without a dad. His daughters found it really heartbreaking, the thought that he wouldn’t be there any more. The footage makes Bret cry, even though he said that he wouldn’t. He got amazing courage and an unsinkable strength to survive from his family and friends. Oprah says that even in his hospital bed he had his bandana on. He says that it was like Superman and the cape, he had to keep on his bandana and boots- he didn’t want to go out in his hospital gown.

The neurosurgeon says that the condition was very serious when Bret arrived, he was unable to stay awake. He suffered a life threatening sudden bleeding around the brain- 20% of people don’t survive this. There is a sudden release of blood. They still don’t know what happened to cause the clot. The chance for re-bleeding is no more common than for anyone in his age group.  This happens to around 40,000 patients a year, and about 20% make a full recovery.

Bret says that when he asked if he had a chance he was told that the fact that he was talking means he has a chance. Bret says that when your body tells you there is something wrong, you must go immediately to the ER. He got an incredible boost of energy to try and survive. He feels that he has a second chance and he is very thankful to be here. Bret says that he was worried about the size of his brain on the scan that the doctor showed, that it might be small like a walnut. Oprah laughs and he says that this is an instance where size matters.

On Celebrity Apprentice, Bret’s costars were devastated when they heard the news. Donald Trump says that he is a good person. Sharon Osbourne says that he is endearing. Donald felt terrible when he heard about the hemorrhage, Sharon thinks about his girlfriends and kids and then she worries about their own lives and the frailty of it all. Holly Robinson Pete says that she loves him and that he should sit his Energizer-bunny butt down and spend some time with his girls. Sharon says hurry up and get back to LA because his sugar mamma needs him and wants to give him a big hug. Oprah says wow. Bret says right there is what matters in the end, good friends.

Bret’s daily recovery has been upped to two sessions a day. His neck is stiff, he has trouble with is outer extremities. He still gets headaches but every day is getting better. He is so thankful that he is recovering and has his family and friends and medical team and God or his guardian angel. Oprah wishes him well and thanks him.

She appeared to be living her country music dream with her number one hit, top honors and dating some of Nashville’s top stars, but she decided to come clean with her secret and risk everything. Chely Wright was the first country singer to acknowledge her homosexuality. A decade ago her hit Single White Female went to number one on the country charts. As a child in the church she prayed every day for her sexuality to change. She always knew she was gay but she confused the heck out of the stars she dated because she couldn’t love them like they loved her. In her book, Like Me, she talks of the love of her life. In their 12 year relationship, maybe only 5 people knew, even her best friend didn’t know. She didn’t want people to have to lie for her, so she didn’t tell them. After the relationship ended, Chely says that she was left alone with no one to confide in. In 2006 she felt trapped and couldn’t come out. She had a 9mm gun which she put in her mouth and said a prayer to God to forgive her for what she was about to do.

Oprah asks about the network of secret keepers. Chely says that she thinks her friends probably wondered, but like the military it was like don’t ask, don’t tell. She says the gun felt cold and heavy in her mouth, and it felt like an out of body experience as she was detachedly watching her body. Oprah asks how she got to that moment. Chely says that it was layers and layers of betrayal, a lifetime of hiding and lying to others. She knew since she was a teenager that she was gay, in third grade she knew that she was a lesbian. She had layers of fear and loathing. Historically, lesbianism and being a successful country music singer had never mixed. Chely lied when asked outright. One of Oprah’s lesbian friends says that she was always the one poking fun at the other gays. Chely worked in a Nashville theme park and was worried that she would be outted. She was rude to other homosexuals and said mean things. She is now mindful of people who do that, it makes her pay attention. Oprah’s friend thought that those who speak loudest are maybe not suspected of being gay themselves.

Recently, Chely decided to tell the world that she is gay – the word lesbian has been used as an insult for a long time, she is taking her power back. You can call her ugly, or her songs stupid, but you can’t call her a lesbian as an insult. Chely says that only two stars have contacted her which is disappointing. But hundreds of other music industry professionals have come forward to show support. Her fans have been coming out on her Facebook page. Oprah asks if she worried that she’d lose her career, and she says that she still doesn’t know that she won’t. Chely says that it was worth the risk, she had a gun in her mouth so this is all gravy. Her Dad asked why she wasn’t close, what was wrong. She was on a tour bus and she decided to do it. She sat her Dad down to tell him and said that she was afraid he wouldn’t love her or that he’d be ashamed of her. She said, Dad, I’m gay. Oprah asks Stan, Chely’s Dad what he said. He said nothing, he gave her a big hug and told her it was all right. He nods, with tears in his eyes. Up until that point, being raised in the Midwest he thought that being gay was sinful, that it was hellfire, and now he knows that is not true. Oprah asks what changed in him, he says that he knew her heart, soul and mind and that she was a good person. So with that said, he has unconditional love- until you are in that position, it is easy to say some of the more negative issues, but there is nothing that you can’t get through. He is very proud of Chely. The crowd applaud.

Oprah asks how it feels to have this off Chely’s back. Keeping the facade going was labor-intensive says Chely. Chely says that it feels like she is about two weeks old. Oprah say that is the best answer she has ever heard, that is so nice. Chely says that this is who God made her to be. Another reason is that kids across the US are being told by their churches and parents that they are damaged goods, and they are not. Chely says that she has a voice and should do something about it. Oprah thinks that her father’s stance takes alot of courage. Stan says that in the short time he has had to educate himself about this is, the most important thing that he can say is do not close the door, but open your heart.

Oprah asks her how she ended up in a relationship with a man. She has alot of regret for the relationship with Brad Paisley. She knew the whole time that she wanted to be someone else- so she wronged him. It was hard for her to write down her crimes against Brad and the other men that she damaged. She hopes that he can forgive her. She reached out and would welcome any chance to sit down with him and talk. She feels incredible and that her biggest fears have been put to rest- her biggest fear was that she wouldn’t get to do anything again with the military. She saw a group of military men who said that she was there for them, so they will be there for her. She cries a little, and the audience applaud. Oprah thanks her and says that as a two-week old self, she has a lot in front of her. Her new CD is in stores now.

Oprah says it every day, please stop talking on the phone and texting while in the car. It could save lives like that of Gordon, the husband of a viewer who was killed by someone texting in the car. Her children lost their father because of a text message, and the driver is spending the next five years in jail. Take the pledge, bye everybody.

WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:

Bret Michaels had to keep on his bandana in his hospital bed after his brain hemorrhage, to him it was the source of his power like Superman and the cape.

When your body tells you there is something wrong, you must go immediately to the ER.

If you don’t want people to lie for you, then you can’t tell them your secrets.

Chely Wright felt so strongly that she could not come out as a gay country music star that she almost killed herself. But she came through and came out.

The most important thing that you can say is do not close the door, but open your heart.

A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:

What matters in the end, is not money or your career, but your family and good friends.