Louise Thompson has revealed she’s taken her first holiday in 14 months, after her last trip was cut short due to a health scare.
The former Made In Chelsea star, 34, revealed on Instagram that she and fiancé Ryan Libbey had travelled to Paris with their son Leo, three, but confessed that in the midst of their excitement about the trip, they forgot one key item.
Louise admitted that due to the length of time since she and Ryan last jetted abroad, they forgot to pack a pram for Leo, and accidentally booked a restaurant that was ‘fit for adults only.’
She wrote: ‘Baby stepping my way back into travel overseas with a 2 hour train ride to Paris. I can’t believe it’s been a full 14 months since we’ve been on a trip abroad together as a family of 3. How can that be?
‘I have SO much to say. Including the fact that we’re so out of practise that we FORGOT to pack a pram and also arranged the most sophisticated culinary itinerary, fit for…. Adults only.
‘But we made it work. And for now La famille avant tout. That is all.’
Louise Thompson has revealed she’s taken her first holiday in 14 months, after her last trip was cut short due to a health scare
The former Made In Chelsea star revealed on Instagram that she and fiancé Ryan Libbey had travelled to Paris with their son Leo
Admitting that it had been well over a year since she and Ryan had taken a trip abroad, Louise confessed that she forgot one key item
Louise also admitted that due to the length of time since she and Ryan last jetted abroad, they forgot to pack a pram for Leo
Louise’s last trip abroad had been a trip to Antigua in February 2024, but at the time the star shared she was forced to cut the trip short and book an early flight home after ‘losing cupfuls of blood every 20 minutes.’
The star was later admitted to a London hospital following a series of health issues since giving birth to her son Leo.
In a shocking heath update, Louise broke her silence as she shed some light on her terrifying situation, adding that she was ‘alive and in good care.’
Sharing a pH๏τo from her hospital bed, she explained: ‘Bit of an unexpected turn of events, but gotta bridge the gap somewhere, so let’s start with some good news – I’m home after two and a bit weeks spent in hospital and I’m feeling very grateful for home and for life.
‘A quick blast recap as my brain is too tangled for full sentences, but hoping this might save some time in the long run…’
In the lengthy post she continued: ‘Flew to the other side of the world (Antigua). Survived. Just. Plastered myself in makeup. Rode the wave of steroid highs – if you know, you know… these are potent drugs.
‘Used up every iota of energy I could pretending I was going to be ok . But deep down inside I knew I was really sick I wanted the best for Leo and my family and memories
‘Holiday had been in the pipeline for yonks 2024 was ma YEAR… Had many exciting campaigns lined up and the announcement of one of the biggest and most transformative healing (and career) moments of my life: the announcement of my book, and other positive things to cling onto mentally.
The podcast presenter also shared a series of snaps showing both herself and Ryan with little Leo during their Parisian meal
One snap showed Louise playfull dancing with Leo while they soaked up the stunning views of the Eiffel Tower
Louise’s last trip abroad had been a trip to Antigua in February 2024, but at the time she was forced to cut the trip short and fly home after ‘losing cupfuls of blood every 20 minutes’
Read More Louise Thompson breaks down in tears in emotional post – amid brother Sam’s heartbreak over ex Zara 
‘I also thought that having clawed out of the mental health hell hole i’d been through that nothing could bring me down. Nothing would compare to that… right?
‘Mental is worse than physical. No physical worse surely. Both are agony and can leave you powerless. Difficult to have one without the other. They’re intrinsically linked.
‘Anyway, I thought I could handle anything. How shortsighted . My resilience had skyrocketed. And i’d become de-sensitised .
‘Most people would be in A&E day 1 with my symptoms, I have no qualms in saying that because I know what my symptoms were and they were not ok, I’ll spare you some of the grittier details, but I became a little ‘too used’ to my chronic condition.
‘Whilst away I fell asleep lots randomly in the car and in the middle of the day and on the beach. Couldn’t really walk or pick up Leo . Poor Ryan had to compensate.’
Louise continued: ‘Was disorientated a lot. Pushed through. Thought my body would hold up. Revelled in bed when Leo would sleep at 7pm . Survived to make it through to see another day. That’s what it felt like anyway.
‘But the fear kept escalating when I was going to the loo every 20 minutes losing cup fulls of blood.
‘My body was ‘surviving’, ‘masking’ and ‘compensating’ but probably only because I’m young and I’ve got a good ticker. Bit of a miracle really
‘Raised alarm bells to my family. Especially given other things I’d been through.
‘I couldn’t cope anymore. Nothing was getting better on its own. Way beyond the point of self healing, wellness, eating right bla bla bla .
‘Too much inflammation. Things felt a bit dangerous I couldn’t risk deteriorating further in a foreign country with a lack of adequate health care and without my notes. I panicked. So we booked an early flight back to UK
‘Made it… struggled on the way back but a small price to pay for making it home Went straight to A&E. Bloods taken. Admitted. Things got worse quite quickly. Thank goodness for safety. Thanks goodness for the NHS
‘Fast forward… I am alive and in good care. I have experienced some of the best care I have ever received, especially in ITU. I have cried over how compᴀssionate and good the care has been. I will have quite some thanking to do. Lots of letters. Lots of things I can hopefully help with in the future. I’m nowhere near that place yet though. Let’s walk first. ’
‘There have been several ups and downs and some scary stuff in-between. Cos hospital IS JUST scary when you’re lying on that side of the curtain
‘Being put to sleep is scary. Central and arterial lines are scary. Bags and balloons and drains coming out of your body are scary. Gosh I have huge respect for medical staff.
‘The fear creeping in… It’s only really until you’ve spent some decent time here under what feels like emergency circumstances that I would expect you to get the fear.
‘PTSD doesn’t help. Further worsened by the feeling that things aren’t moving in a ‘linear direction’. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY BLOOMING BODY!!! Why do I keep forgetting my questions. Why are things getting worse before they get better? The fear of the unknown is arguably the worst part of recovery. The waiting. Especially when coupled with 10/10 pain.
‘But I’m not allowing myself to slip back. I am a STRONG COOKIE and I am working hard on a speedy recovery.
‘And there will be a silver lining. I promise I’m already searching for it. Already found a few nuggets.
‘A nice little reminder that health is everything. It must always come first first first. Along with my family and my son.
She concluded: ‘I want to continue with life ‘as normal’ as much as possible as much as possible as I think that staying connected and grounded and present is really good for my head. And I still maintain that 2024 is going to be the best yet!’
Before Louise’s health scare, she was posting pH๏τos from her family trip with Ryan, Leo and her father to Antigua And Barbuda.
Her post from January 28 featured a carousel of snaps of herself with little Leo, alongside which she wrote an emotive caption about ‘learning to lean into and be grateful for those imperfect in-between moments because nothing lasts forever.’
Last April, Louise then revealed that she had a ‘lifesaving’ stoma bag fitted after years of suffering from ulcerative colitis following a diagnosis in 2018.
Louise has previously spoken about her ongoing struggles with the bowel condition ulcerative colitis as well as the autoimmune disease lupus.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic bowel condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed and small ulcers develop on the colon’s lining, which can bleed. The condition has no cure, but can be effectively managed with time.
In April, Louise then revealed that she had a ‘lifesaving’ stoma bag fitted after years of suffering from ulcerative colitis following a diagnosis in 2018
Louise has been hit by a series of health setbacks following the birth of her son Leo two years ago.
The mother of one was diagnosed with PTSD and postnatal anxiety after nearly dying during labour.
Louise went ‘partially deaf’ during the ordeal and in 2022 revealed that she would cry up to 20 times a week.
The same year, Louise revealed she had been diagnosed with lupus, which is a condition affecting the immune system, causing joint pain, rashes and fatigue.
She recently announced that she had written a book – called Lucky: Learning To Live Again – which details the story of her traumatic pregnancy.
Announcing the news, Louise said she was ‘ready’ but also ‘petrified’ to step into a new chapter after being encouraged to ‘help others’ by sharing her story.
What is a stoma?
A stoma is a surgically-created opening made on the abdomen, which is made to divert the flow of urine and faeces.
According to the NHS, this procedure may be needed if you cannot pᴀss stools through your anus, which could be the result of an illness, injury or problem with your digestive system.
In the UK, it is estimated that one in 335 people have had the surgery.
The procedure can be part treatment for a number of illnesses, including cancer, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease or any trauma to the abdomen.
The stoma will generally be ‘pink and most – like the inside of our mouths’. After the surgery, it will be swollen, but this will reduce in six to eight weeks.
There is no sensation to touching a stoma – as there are no nerves – but different people will have theirs in a different size or shape.
It is also possible to have a temporary stoma, which could later be reversed, if the diseased or damaged area in the bowel needs to heal over time.
A stoma is a surgically-created opening made on the abdomen, which is made to divert the flow of urine and faeces. Stock image used
TYPES OF STOMA
COLOSTOMY
This refers to an opening in the colon – the large intestine. During the operation, a part of the colon will be brought from inside the body through their abdomen. The output from this ‘often resembles a traditional stool’ and functions around one to three times a day.
ILEOSTOMY
For this procedure, the surgeon will bring a part of the small intestine – the ileum specifically – from inside the patient’s body and bring it through the abdomen, sтιтching it down to secure it. The output for an ileostomy is looser than that of a colostomy. An ileostomy bag – which enables drainage into the toilet between three to six times a day’ – is also worn.
UROSTOMY
A urostomy refers to an opening for a person’s urine specifically. For this, the surgeon will take a piece of someone’s small intestine and attach it to the ureters. This will ‘form a pᴀssageway for urine to pᴀss through’. For this, one of the tube is brought out through the abdomen. A urostomy bag will also have a ‘bung or tap on the bottom to allow urine to be drained at regular intervals into the toilet’.
Source: Colostomy UK, NHS
