Madonna Says “It’s Great to Be Alive” Following Recent Hospitalization

Madonna is celebrating her 65th birthday and says it’s “great to be alive” to do so. On Instagram, the entertainer shared a video of herself celebrating her birthday with friends and family in Lisbon, Portugal, writing in the caption that it is “amazing to be able to put on my dancing shoes and celebrate my birthday.” Madonna also thanked everyone who made her celebration possible in the wake of a medical emergency in late June. You can check out the celebratory post for yourself below.

“It’s great to be Alive………… .. and Amazing to Be able to put on my dancing shoes and Celebrate my birthday,” Madonna wrote. “I’m So Grateful. Thank you Lisbon and to all who made it possible!”

What Happened to Madonna?

In late June, Madonna was hospitalized due to a “serious bacterial infection”. At the time it was reported that she spent time in the ICU before being released with a full recover expected. The emergency caused the singer’s “Celebration” world tour to be put on hold to allow her to adequately recover. On August 17th, rescheduled North American tour dates were announced with the tour now beginning in Europe in October.

“On Saturday June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which lead to a several day stay in the ICU,” Madonna’s manager, Guy Oseary, said in an Instagram post shortly after. “Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected… As this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour. We will share more details with you soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows.”

Madonna Spoke Out About the Emergency in July

Late last month, Madonna updated her fans in another Instagram post about her recovery, sharing with fans that “love from family and friends is the best medicine.”

“Love from family and friends is the best medicine,” the post reads in part. “One month out of the hospital and I can reflect. As a mother you can really get caught up In the needs of your children and the seemingly endless giving… But when the chips were down my children really showed up for me. I saw a side to them I had never seen before. It made all the difference. So did the love and support from my friends… I sobbed when I opened this gift because I realized how lucky I am to be alive. And how fortunate I am to have known these people and so many others who are also gone. And thank you to all my angels who protected me and let me stay to finish doing my work.”

What is Going on With Madonna’s Biopic?

Earlier this year, it was reported that the biopic, set to be directed by Madonna herself with Ozark and Inventing Anna star Julia Garner starring, had been put on hold due to the “Celebration” world tour. There have been no additional updates, though Madonna previously spoke about wanting to direct her own biopic so as to approach it the right way.

“I’ve had an extraordinary life, I must make an extraordinary film,” Madonna previously told Variety. “It was also a preemptive strike, because a lot of people were trying to make movies about me. Mostly misogynistic men. So, I put my foot in the door and said, ‘No one’s going to tell my story but me.’… I have a very long script that is really hard for me to make shorter. I’ve been whittling away at it, but it’s like hacking off my limbs.”

“I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer — a human being, trying to make her way in this world,” Madonna said in a statement when the project was announced. “The focus of this film will always be music. Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It’s essential to share the roller coaster ride of my life with my voice and vision.”