Marla Gibbs is reflecting on one of the most terrifying moments of her life in her new memoir, It’s Never Too Late.
The actress, who played Florence on The Jeffersons, revealed that she suffered a brain aneurysm in 2006. Though many people do not survive the condition, Gibbs, 94, writes in the book, per People, that she “knew God still had plans” for her.
However, her determination often caused her to wind up in a bit of trouble, especially when it came to following the rules the nurses gave her while she was rehabilitating from the incident.
“I did not want to use the diapers while in rehab. I wanted to go to the bathroom on my own,” Gibbs explained.
She added that she couldn’t understand why the nurses wouldn’t allow her to go to the restroom on her own, and she would often sneak out of the bed after they left the room. This often led to her falling, and eventually, her family requested that she be tied to the bed for her own safety.
That didn’t stop her, and she quickly figured out how to untie herself only to end up on the floor once again.
While in rehab, Gibbs was adamant that her career as an actress was over, but when she returned home, she began to second guess herself.
“When I got home and looked at the old woman staring back at me in the mirror I said, ‘Maybe it is over.’ Maybe my days as an actress are gone,” the 227 alum wrote.
It wasn’t until Gibbs accepted that she was going to need help if she wanted to fully heal that she realized she couldn’t recover on her own.
“Acceptance of where I was in my recovery was essential to me healing,” Gibbs explained, “and I think acceptance is key to healing in life.”