A relative of Madonna has revealed that they were "preparing for the worst" after she was rushed to intensive care with a 'serious bacterial infection'.
The pop royalty was found unconscious in New York on Saturday and was taken to hospital. It is reported that Madonna was intubated for at least one night before having the tube removed. It is thought she is now alert and recovering.
Madonna, 64, was conducting the final preparations for her Celebration tour, which was due to start next month but is believed to have been postponed following the news of her dash to hospital.
In an interview with Daily Mail, a family relative of the singer has admitted that the "reality of the situation" became very real.
The relative said: "For the past couple of days, no one really knew which direction this was going to turn, and her family was preparing for the worst.
"That is why it was kept a secret since Saturday. Everyone believed that we may lose her and that has been the reality of the situation."
Madonna was joined at her bedside by eldest child Lourdes, 26, throughout her stay in the intensive care unit. It is not known whether Rocco, 22; David, 17; Mercy, 17; and 10-year-old twins Stella and Estere visited their mother.
A source close to the family told Daily Mail that the hospitalisation has brought them closer together and also served up as a wake-up call for the pop superstar.
The source said: "This really woke her the f*** up. She has not been living as healthy a life as she should be for her age, and she has been wearing herself thin over the past couple of months.
"She thinks that she is still young when, in fact, she is not. She also believes that she is invincible."
Meanwhile, Madonna's boyfriend Josh Popper shared a cryptic post on his Instagram page following her health scare.
The 29-year-old boxing coach posted a series of boxing photos on his Instagram and shared a thought-provoking message in the caption.
It read: "'Give yourself permission to live a big life. Step into who you were meant to be. Stop playing small. You are meant for greater things'.
"Thank you to my coach @fftstrong, my family, and the Bredwinners team for being by my side."
Her manager Guy Oseary announced the shocking news on Wednesday with a post on Instagram.
Guy's statement read: "On Saturday, June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which lead to a several-day stay in the ICU.
"Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected. At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour."
He concluded: "We will share more details with you as soon as we have them, including a new start date for the tour and for rescheduled shows."
Madonna's upcoming tour – which was announced earlier this year – had been due to launch in Canada on July 15 and was scheduled to run for six months until January next year.
It is not known which dates are now affected, or whether the entire tour is going to be delayed, though Madonna was due to visit various countries over the course of the tour.
The tour is expected to celebrate her decades-long career in the music industry, which has included numerous chart-topping singles such as Like a Prayer, Vogue and Into the Groove.
