Vicki’s Update About Briana’s Health Scare Will Come As A Major Relief To ‘RHOC’ Fans

Following the news that her daughter Briana Culberson has been battling lupus, Real Housewives of Orange County star Vicki Gunvalson gave an update on Briana's health and thanked fans for their support. Vicki took to Instagram early Thursday morning to express her gratitude, writing: "Thank you everyone for asking about Briana. She is at home in NC resting with Ryan and the boys. You all are so sweet," along with the hashtags "#LoveMyDaughter #LupusStinks"

News of Briana's recent health scare was first revealed by her husband Ryan Culberson via social media. In his Instagram post, Ryan asked followers to pray for his wife as she underwent a surgical procedure to regulate her heart's rhythm. Along with a photo of Briana in a hospital gown, he wrote:

“Please keep my wife in your thoughts and prayers! Her lupus is causing inflammation around her heart and is causing it to go in and out of irregular heart rhythms now requiring her to have a cardiac ablation.”

In another Instagram Story post, Ryan shared a photo of himself and his two young sons, Troy, 5, and Owen, 3, as they were on their way to visit Briana amidst her recovery. He captioned the pic, “Another hospital run to see Mom!”

Ryan also posted a note of gratitude for his followers while announcing Briana's release from the hospital. He shared, "Thank you for the abundance of messages and comments over the last couple days, she’s home!"

For those who may not be familiar, Mayo Clinic’s website explains, “Cardiac ablation usually uses long, flexible tubes (catheters) inserted through a vein or artery in your groin and threaded to your heart to deliver energy in the form of heat or extreme cold to modify the tissues in your heart that cause an arrhythmia.”

After battling a barrage of unexplained health issues over the years, Briana's lupus diagnosis was first revealed during the Season 11 finale of Real Housewives of Orange County in 2016. Briana's issue included a very scary medical emergency which was aired on RHOC in which Briana was rushed to the hospital after feeling like she was unable to breathe. Later in the episode, Briana shared that her "lymph nodes are so enlarged in my chest that they're compressing my lungs, so that's why I couldn't breathe," according to Daily Mail.

The Mayo Clinic indicates that lupus can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms can often mimic other ailments and shares that it is "a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs."

Vicki detailed Briana's ongoing health struggle with Page Six back in October of 2017, explaining:

“It’s been a tough year for her. She was back at the doctor on Friday. Lupus has affected part of her heart, it’s literally something every other week. She’s young, she’s got age on her side. She’s 30, people live with lupus, it’s just unfortunate. She’s going to be OK.”

The Daily Dish revealed that Briana has had a procedure performed on her neck, had her enlarged lymph nodes removed, and had surgery on her leg as a result of the incurable disease in the past.

Briana and Ryan recently decided to make the move from the OC to Ryan's home state of North Carolina. Ryan shared the news via IG late last year, telling followers:

"Today it became official! Moving back to my home state of NC in two weeks to live a simpler stress free life. We’re super excited for this next adventure and what the future will bring!"

In a separate post, Ryan later revealed he and Briana's hope to live a more private and peaceful life in NC, sharing, "We found a very private and peaceful location that we truly believe will be the perfect environment for our family." The news of their move was announced just months after Ryan officially completed his duty with the U.S. Marine Corps at the end of August.

It's certainly amazing to hear that Briana on the mend following this latest health setback.