Is Marge Sr ok? 'RHONJ' star Margaret Josephs reveals her mother has been struggling with rare disorder
MONTVILLE, NEW JERSEY: A cast member from 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey' is currently undergoing recovery from a digestive system-related medical condition.
During 'RHONJ' Season 14 Episode 5, viewers got a glimpse into the personal life of Margaret Josephs as she opened up about her mother, affectionately known as Marge Sr. After undergoing surgery, Margaret shared some intimate details about her mother's recovery from a rare esophagus disorder and the challenges she has faced.
The Bravo housewife revealed that her mother had recently been diagnosed with a rare esophageal disorder, affecting her ability to digest food properly. This condition presented challenges for her mother, necessitating significant changes to her diet and lifestyle to effectively manage the symptoms and uphold her health.
Margaret expressed her concern and worry for her mother's well-being, highlighting how this unexpected diagnosis had brought about a sense of uncertainty and unease for their family.
She actively sought out medical advice and explored treatment options to aid her mother in coping with this condition and enhancing her quality of life. “Marge Sr. has always been the picture of health. And then she tells me she’s been throwing up for months," Margaret told the producers of the Bravo show.
What was Marge Sr's esophagus disorder?
During the episode, Margaret Josephs revealed that her mother, Marge Sr, had been diagnosed with achalasia, a highly uncommon disorder. “We find out she has this thing called achalasia, where the esophagus doesn’t open right, so she had surgery. She has to recover at my house for, like, a day or two," she shared.
Achalasia is a rare medical condition characterized by the inability of the muscles in the esophagus to properly contract and allow food to pass into the stomach. This disorder is estimated to impact approximately 1 in every 100,000 adults in the United States and can lead to significant health complications if not addressed promptly.
Marge Sr felt content as she settled onto the couch alongside her daughter, Joe Benigno, and her cherished dog, Bella. She expressed relief that she was no longer experiencing any pain and made a promise to herself to avoid taking Oxycodone, a medication that had caused her discomfort during her journey back home after the procedure.
How old is Margaret Josephs' mother Marge Sr?
Margaret Josephs bears a striking resemblance to her mother, Marge Sr, to the extent that they could easily be mistaken for sisters due to their minimal age difference. Despite being 77 years old, Marge Sr. is only 20 years older than Margaret. Nevertheless, Margaret asserts that she was the one who had control over her upbringing.
"I always say I was raised by wolves. We basically raised each other, because we're only 20 years apart. She married my father when she was young, and she left him by the time I was two," Margaret said in an episode.
Margaret grew up as an only child and revealed on the show that she often stayed with her grandparents while her mother went out socializing.
Despite this, she expressed that her mother raised her with a lot of love, and their bond remains strong to this day.
Margaret's parents immigrated to the United States from Hungary to flee the oppressive communist government in their home country. As a result, Margaret grew up speaking only Hungarian until she was five years old.
Throughout the years following her divorce, Marge Sr. has consistently embraced the dating scene with a fearless attitude, even extending to bringing her daughter Margaret along on some of her romantic outings.
During 'RHONJ' Season 8, Marge Sr enthusiastically shared the ins and outs of her vibrant dating life while on a double date with Margaret and son-in-law Joe Benginio. Despite Margaret mentioning that Marge Sr continued to see her date, Steve, on multiple occasions afterward, it appears that Marge Sr is still actively exploring the dating scene.
New episodes of 'RHONJ' Season 14 are released every Sunday at 8 pm ET only on Bravo.
