Travis Barker has updated fans on the status of his health, after reports that emerged earlier this week claimed he was hospitalised for pancreatitis.
News of Barker’s health crisis broke on Wednesday (July 29) when photos showed the Blink-182 drummer being carried on an ambulance stretcher. He’d reportedly been checked in to LA’s West Hills Hospital on Tuesday morning (July 28), but was later transferred by ambulance to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
On social media, Barker’s daughter Alabama asked fans to “send [their] prayers” and showed the drummer lying on a stretcher with a brace around his left hand. Further reports emerged later on Wednesday, claiming that Barker had been hospitalised with pancreatitis following a recent colonoscopy.
Barker has now corroborated those reports, clarifying that he’d undergone an endoscopy, not a colonoscopy, but did in fact wind up in hospital for pancreatitis. He wrote: “I went in for an endoscopy Monday feeling great. But after dinner, I developed excruciating pain and have been hospitalized ever since.
“During the endoscopy, I had a very small polyp removed right in a very sensitive area, usually handled by specialists, which unfortunately damaged a critical pancreatic drainage tube. This resulted in severe life-threatening pancreatitis. I am so very very grateful that with intensive treatment I am currently much better.”
I went in for an endoscopy Monday feeling great.
But After dinner, I developed excruciating pain and have been hospitalized ever since.— Travis Barker (@travisbarker) July 2, 2022
During the endoscopy, I had a very small polyp removed right in a very sensitive area, usually handled by specialists, which unfortunately damaged a critical pancreatic drainage tube. This resulted in severe life-threatening pancreatitis.
— Travis Barker (@travisbarker) July 2, 2022
I am so very very grateful that with intensive treatment I am currently much better. ??
— Travis Barker (@travisbarker) July 2, 2022
Hours before the news of Barker’s hospitalisation broke on Wednesday, he tweeted, “God save me.” It’s unclear, however, whether this was in reference to the reason for his hospitalisation – ‘God Save Me’ is also the title of a song that Barker worked on with Machine Gun Kelly, which appeared on the latter’s ‘Mainstream Sellout’ album in March.
Meanwhile, Barker recently credited artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Jxdn for changing what it means to be a pop-punk artist. “I like Olivia’s album, [and] I love everything Billie’s done,” he said in an interview with Billboard. “I won’t say, ‘This is pop-punk.’ I’ll say, this music that came out, let’s say like Avril’s ‘Love Sux’, let’s say Jxdn’s ‘Tell Me About Tomorrow’, and ‘Tickets To My Downfall’ [Machine Gun Kelly], were all inspired by pop-punk.
“It doesn’t mean that it’s just pop-punk or has to be categorised like that. Olivia Rodrigo is probably going to make an album that has a little bit of pop-punk influence and some other influences too. Billie’s going to make whatever magical music she’s going to make and she’s going to be inspired by so much. You don’t have to follow the rules or keep it as sterile as the record label or whatever the rollout plan may be.”