According to doctors, country singer Randy Travis is "awake and alert" after suffering a stroke and undergoing brain surgery last week.
"In terms of his stroke, he has responded well to the surgical procedure he had to relieve the pressure in his brain," Dr. Gary Erwin said. "We're seeing improvements in brain scans showing decreased swelling of his brain. He is...interacting with his family and friends and beginning to start doing some early physical therapy."
Travis was first admitted to the hospital on July 7 with a heart condition that doctors have now determined to be idiopathic cardiomyopathy, also known as a scarring of the heart muscle. The scarring weakened Travis' heart, leaving it unable to support proper circulation.
Though Travis has made headlines for his struggle with alcohol abuse, doctors say his bad habits had no impact on his current condition.
"We performed a biopsy of his heart muscle and it shows scar tissue," Dr. Michael Mack, the medical director of cardiovascular disease at Dallas' Baylor Health Care System said. "From the appearance on echocardiograms, which are images of his heart, this is not the appearance of either drugs or alcohol causing the heart condition."
Doctors said Travis should be well enough to leave the hospital in the coming weeks, but that he will be transferred to a rehabilitation facility for intense physical therapy. Recovery could take months, they said.
Travis' fiancé Mary Davis is also now thanking supporters for their prayers during the health scare.
"I know that those are prayers that have helped mend his heart along with the skilled hands of the physicians and doctors and nurses here at [the hospital]," Davis said. "I know that Randy feels each and every one of those. He feels the hands of the doctors and the care of the nurses and the love of his fans. His friends and family have all been touched by that. He is responding well to voices and he sees and he understands. He's miles beyond where any of us thought he would be a few days ago."
