Celebrity Health

Prince's family is going after the doctor who prescribed pain pills for him, claiming he failed to properly treat him for opioid addiction so he's to blame for his death ... according to a new suit.

The family claims Dr. Michael Schulenberg last treated Prince on April 20, but failed to appropriately diagnose and treat the rocker's addiction ... which ultimately led to his fatal fentanyl overdose on April 21.

According to the docs ... the doctor's failure played a substantial part in Prince's death.

As you'll recall ... the family already sued the hospital that treated Prince's first opioid overdose, along with the Walgreens for dispensing narcotic prescription medications to him for an invalid medical purpose and failing to make sure he was using the drug properly.

This new suit also includes that hospital and Walgreens, along with Schulenberg. TMZ broke several stories about Prince getting various prescriptions filled from a Walgreens near his home in the days before he died. We posted a pic of Prince pacing the night before his OD -- looking frail and nervous -- as a member of his team got his Rx.

Surveillance video shows Prince visiting Dr. Schulenberg's office the day before he died.

Ben Affleck has had a rough time, and not just for a few weeks or months ... and the only thing that has spared him from a complete crash and burn is his children.

Sources directly connected to Ben tell us he has been fighting a losing battle with booze for 18 months. He's had periods of sobriety and then lapsed back deep into the bottle. TMZ broke the story ... it came to a head Wednesday when Jennifer Garner staged an intervention and drove him to a rehab facility.

We're told when Ben has been at his lowest over the last 18 months -- and there have been multiple times during that period when he hit bottom -- it seemed hopeless, and the only way he was able to pull himself out of the spiral was the love for his children and the realization of the consequences if something truly tragic happened to him.

Ben has had sporadic contact with the kids. Jen has been careful to protect the 3 children when Ben was in free fall, so there were periods when he regularly saw children and periods when he didn't.

The sad story ... his alcohol issues have consumed his life for the last year and a half, but hopefully this stint in rehab will get him back on track.

Andrew Jones just dunked all over cancer ... with the Texas baller finishing his chemotherapy treatment and ringing the bell Friday!!

Jones -- a superstar on Texas' men's hoops team -- was diagnosed with leukemia this past January and called the last eight months of recovery "crazy and stressful for me and my family."

But, Andrew just wrapped up his rounds of chemo ... and is back on the road to playing for UT again this season.

"With the grace of god we can see a better day," Jones said after ringing the bell. "I’ll like to say thanks to all the fans and supports #hookem."

Jones recently told the Austin American-Statesman he'll now head back to his dorm at UT next Wednesday ... taking yet another step toward normalcy.

John McCain is making a difficult decision in his year-long battle with brain cancer.

The longtime U.S. Senator from Arizona has decided to stop medical treatment for the disease ... according to the Republican's family.

As we reported ... McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer -- known as glioblastoma -- last July. He'd been receiving treatment from his home near Sedona, Arizona since December.

The 81-year-old is a 6-term Senator and was the 2008 Republican presidential nominee.

McCain's family said age is a factor in John's decision to stop getting treatment ... and he's already surpassed expectations for his survival.

A statement from McCain's family says, "John has surpassed expectations for his survival. But the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict. With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment."

The statement continues, "Our family is immensely grateful for the support and kindness of all his caregivers over the last year, and for the continuing outpouring of concern and affection from John's many friends and associates, and the many thousands of people who are keeping him in their prayers."

McCain has served in the Senate since 1986. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona in '82.

Before his political career, McCain entered the Naval Academy in 1954 and served in the Navy until '81.

Lisa Fleming, the woman who weighed more than 700 pounds and was featured on "My 600-lb Life," has died, and she's the second person from the show who has died this month.

Fleming's daughter, Danielle, says her mom passed Thursday. Danielle tells TMZ her mom's death had nothing to do with her weight. In fact, she says Lisa had lost 200 pounds after she appeared on the show and was actually able to stand on her own.

Danielle says her mom was sick before she came on the show and the various illnesses took their toll over time. She says, "At the end she was sick and her body was tired and her body just gave out."

Danielle says she held her mom's hand for 4 hours after she passed.

Lisa was featured on Season 6 back in February. She revealed her struggle with weight began as a child and it got significantly worse after she witnessed her brother's murder.

Lisa's episode was heart-wrenching ... her situation was so desperate she found maggots in the folds of her skin.

When Lisa was on the show she was bedridden and unable to care for herself. Life was so cumbersome, 7 paramedics were required to remove her from her bed.

Ben Affleck wanted to get back on the sober train -- badly -- days before his estranged wife staged an intervention and drove him to a rehab facility ... TMZ has learned.

Turns out, Ben had been attending wellness classes at a Los Angeles wellness center as recently as a week before checking into a live-in facility.

The center specializes in "Buddhist ethics" ... meaning meditation with a focus on a healthy body, mind and spirit. Our sources say Ben went on his own accord several times last week ... well aware he had fallen off the wagon and into a downward spiral.

We broke the story ... Ben's estranged wife, Jennifer Garner, staged an intervention Wednesday at his Pacific Palisades home and drove him to an L.A. County rehab facility where he will live for at least 30 days. We're told Ben didn't need much convincing because he knew he was in desperate straits.

We're told the trigger for Jen was on Monday, when she saw this pic (below) of Ben accepting delivery of a box full of beer and hard liquor.

The actor has been open about his struggles with sobriety over the years. After Ben completed his second stint at a rehab facility last year, he said, "I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be. I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step."

He continued, "I'm lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I've done the work I set out to do."

Here's the reality ... most addicts relapse. It doesn't mean they can't eventually stay sober, but it's a long, difficult road and falling off the wagon is not necessarily game over. The most important thing ... it's clear Ben realized he had a problem and sought help, even before Jen staged the intervention.

Johnny Manziel says he's feeling a helluva lot better after taking that BRUTAL hit in a CFL game earlier this month ... but he doesn't know if he'll be starting for Montreal this week.

Manziel got rocked at the goal line of his last start against the Ottawa Redblacks -- his body went limp, he fumbled and he looked woozy -- and he was placed in concussion protocol just a few days later.

The ex-Heisman Trophy winner missed the team's next game against Edmonton while still recovering.

Johnny says on his "Comeback SZN" Podcast with Barstool Sports he's physically feeling "back to normal" now ... but it's all up to the docs if he gets his starting job back in time for Montreal's next game.

"I feel like I'm just jumping through the necessary hoops as far as concussion protocol," he says.

The Alouettes have a Friday night tilt this week against the Toronto Argonauts and, judging by Johnny's comments on the protocol process, don't hold your breath on seeing the comeback this week.

Lamar Odom got emotional while wishing happy 40th birthday to Kobe Bryant Thursday -- thanking his good friend for sticking with him through thick and thin ... even during his darkest hours.

Remember, Kobe was one of the first people who rushed to the hospital to meet with Lamar following his overdose at a Nevada brothel back in 2015.

In fact, Kobe bolted from a Lakers preseason game early right when he heard the news and was with Lamar hours after the incident.

Kobe continued to support Odom during and after his recovery -- and Odom hasn't taken his friendship for granted.

"There are no words in this world that can describe the mad love I have for you," Lamar wrote.

"I appreciate you Bean, you have been there for me in my most dark times until today and I hope till the end of times."

"We shined together in my most glorious times and those are like a tattoo in my heart . I can never repay you back for the unconditional love but I can tell you how much I appreciate you."

Jonathan Davis says his wife Deven was very sick for the past decade, and suggests her mental illness led to her addiction ... and it's to blame for her death.

Korn's lead singer shared a message on Instagram Wednesday night to address what happened to his estranged wife. He said, "Over the past decade, my wife has been very very sick. She had a serious mental illness and her addiction was a side effect. I loved her with ALL of my being."

He goes on to say Deven was an amazing wife, mother and friend ... and he tried for a long time to hide what was going on with her in order to protect her.

Davis says Deven's the reason he has advocated so passionately for people struggling with mental illness, and hopes her story will help inspire change. He also mentions their 2 children, saying ... "I promise I'll do everything in my power to raise our precious boys the right way, teach them the good values you wanted them to have so badly, and break the cycle of abuse we both experiences as kids."

We broke the story ... Deven died Friday, and the news came on the heels of Jonathan's request for a domestic violence restraining order on her. Jonathan alleged Deven was deep into drugs and her drug use was causing emotional harm to their 2 sons.

According to the legal docs, Deven had been in a sober home but went AWOL a week before she died.

The actor who played Robbie Rotten on the popular kid's show "LazyTown" has died after a long battle with cancer ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for the family of Stefan Karl Stefansson tells us the actor died Tuesday surrounded by friends and family. We're told Stefan had battled bile duct cancer for two years before his death.

The 43-year-old from Iceland was a fixture on "LazyTown" over the course of 10 years ... starring alongside Julianna Mauriello, who played Stephanie. Stefansson's last episode on the show was its finale in 2014.

Stefansson was first diagnosed with cancer in 2016 but after surgery it appeared he was on the path to recovery. However, it returned in 2018 and was inoperable.

In a statement in March, Stefansson said, "It's not until they tell you you're going to die soon that you realize how short life is. Time is the most valuable thing in life because it never comes back. And whether you spend it in the arms of a loved one or alone in a prison-cell, life is what you make of it. Dream big."

He is survived by his wife and 4 children.

Lamar Odom says it's a miracle he's alive -- revealing he had 12 strokes and 6 heart attacks while he was in a coma from his 2015 drug overdose.

Th ex-NBA star spilled his guts about the incident to Kevin Hart while sitting in an ice bath for KH's YouTube show, "Cold as Balls."

"All my doctors that see me say I'm a walking miracle," Odom said while shivering in the ice tub next to Hart.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Odom was rushed to a hospital on October 13, 2015 after he was found unconscious at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch South in Pahrump, Nevada.

Blood tests showed Odom had cocaine in his system at the time of his overdose. There were times doctors didn't think Odom would survive -- but somehow, he managed to pull through.

Since recovering, Odom has been to rehab and says he's now fully sober and over his addiction.

In fact, Odom told Kevin Hart he feels grateful to be alive -- joking about how it beats the alternative.

During the "Cold as Balls" segment, Odom also joked about the brothel and opened up about how much he appreciated Khloe Kardashian stepping up and handling his care while he was unconscious.

"It was big," Odom said about Khloe.

Odom -- who was legally married to Khloe (but separated) at the time of the overdose -- had tried to get back with her after he got better ... but she had moved on.

Trevor Bauer is much less pissed off at ESPN today ... 'cause it turns out the company DIDN'T actually air a tweet that he says made him look like a "lunatic" after all.

ICYMI ... the Indians superstar is famous for being a baseball brainiac -- and when he broke his leg last week, a reporter had some fun at Trevor's expense with the diagnosis news.

"Trevor Bauer says that the doctors' timeline for his return is based on outdated mainstream medicine and he's begun a course of blood transfusions and colloidal silver to rid his body of CIA nanites," Ringer staff writer Michael Baumann tweeted.

"He anticipates missing two starts, three tops."

Bauer initially found the tweet hilarious ... but when he believed MLB Network and ESPN ran with the tweet as fact -- he was not happy.

"Presenting it as fact on tv, thus painting me as some lunatic that’s off his rocker, is not ok at all," Bauer tweeted.

He continued in another tweet: "Hey @MLBNetwork and @espn I would like public statements on social media and on your networks clarifying that the information you wrongly reported as fact earlier regarding my recovery timetable and process is false and not a quote from me. The report is damaging and absurd."

Turns out ... ESPN didn't actually run the tweet -- which caused Trevor to issue a 35-second apology video Monday evening.

"It appears the information I was given and what I believed to have seen was wrong, and ESPN never aired the fake tweet."

Chicago White Sox manager Rick Renteria was transported to a hospital in Minnesota on Monday after falling ill at Target Stadium ... but he appears to be okay.

Renteria and the Sox were gearing up to play the Twins on Monday when Rick began to feel lightheaded, according to the AP.

The team didn't mess around -- and the 56-year-old was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment.

The good news ... the team told the AP preliminary test results are good and he doesn't appear to be in danger.

In the meantime, Joe McEwing will take over for Renteria.

It's unclear if KiKi loves Drake -- but one thing's for sure ... he definitely loved one little girl's "KiKi Challenge," 'cause he made a point to visit her in Chicago.

Drake stopped by the Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Monday to meet up with 11-year-old Sofia Sanchez -- who turned 11 on Saturday. Her birthday wish -- to meet Drizzy.

She got on Drake's radar after she posted an "In My Feelings" dance video ... weeks after undergoing open heart surgery and waiting for a heart transplant.

Sources close to the rapper tell us Drake saw the video and wanted to oblige, so he swung by the hospital to meet her.

We're told he spent an hour in her room and they talked about a lot ... from his music, her love of cheerleading and their shared interests (Bieber, owls, and basketball). They even touched on her GoFundMe page.

Andrea Bocelli's one tough son of a gun ... he's back to riding horses nearly a year after falling off one.

The famous Italian tenor got back on this beautiful stallion Monday on Miami Beach. The 59-year-old strapped on his riding boots but, equestrian be damned -- shorts and a T-shirt will do.

As we reported ... Andrea suffered a head injury last September while riding near Pisa, Italy. The fall was so scary he had to be airlifted to a hospital. Good news though -- a rep at the time told he us he was doing well after his hospital visit. Clearly the fall wasn't gonna deter him.

Rest easy, Redskins fans ... a living god is about to fix your star running back.

Derrius Guice ripped up his knee in Washington's first preseason game earlier this month ... and now, he's turning to legendary doc James Andrews to sew his ACL back together.

In case you're unfamiliar ... James is a magician with a scalpel -- having fixed just about every injured star athlete known to man (including John Cena when he had that NASTY elbow injury in 2013).