Health

Rachel Balkovec -- a Yankees' minor league manager -- showed off her gnarly eye injury she got after being hit in the face with a batted ball at Spring Training.

Balkovec -- who was signed as the Tampa Tarpons' manager in January -- was working out with the team on Tuesday when she was struck in the face.

The injury forced the 34-year-old to miss the team's home opener on Thursday.

Balkovec did go on IG to show off the swollen and bruised left eye she was left with after the freak accident.

"Thanks for all of the messages," Balkovec said, "Just feeling extremely lucky, and also like I’ll never throw side flips again for the rest of eternity 👍🏼"

"This is why you have to life your life in a way that you’re okay leaving it at any moment. Not a minute to waste being, thinking or playing small."

Despite how painful the injury looks, Rachel had a sense of humor about it ... saying, "Well I *DID* have several modeling contracts lined up, but this put a wrench in those plans ;)"

She even tagged several model agencies and Vogue.

Balkovec has been with the Yanks organization for several years ... first as a minor league hitting coach in 2019, before making history and becoming the first female minor league manager -- the position she currently holds.

Emotions always run high for nominees ahead of the Oscars ... but fear is in the air especially this year, as attendees wait nervously for their COVID test results.

Everyone who wants entry to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood must show proof of a negative COVID test and proof of vaccination -- well, with the exception of the presenters and the performers. For some reason, they don't have to show proof of vaccination ... just a negative test.

There's a lot riding on this ... the folks nominated want to attend -- badly -- and the nervousness surrounding testing has its own catch phrase ... swab sweat.

For some reason, the celebs who are required to be tested have to get not just one negative PCR test, but 2. This is way more restrictive than L.A. County's current guidelines.

Best Director nominee Kenneth Branagh is sweating it for sure ... he tested positive for COVID and is self-isolating. Unclear if he'll make the show..

Scary moment in the NHL -- Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden left Thursday night's game on a stretcher ... after colliding into the sideboards following a hit from the Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg.

The incident took place in the first period ... as Forsberg and Howden were both trying to secure the puck, but things went wrong.

In a video of the collision, Forsberg loses balance as he's trying to make a play ... and his momentum carries him into Howden, who then goes headfirst into the wall.

Forsberg's teammates had a front-row seat to see it all unfold ... and their faces told the story of just how scary the wreck was.

Officials did not penalize Filip over the play ... as the whole thing appeared to be unintentional.

Forsberg immediately sprang to his feet to check on Howden ... as players and fans in the arena expressed the same concern.

Emergency personnel managed to get to Howden quickly ... putting the 23-year-old on a stretcher. He was taken to the hospital for further medical treatment.

The good news -- Howden appeared to be responsive following the hit ... raising one of his arms as he left the ice.

He is reportedly in stable condition.

Teresa Giudice is in the hospital after undergoing an emergency medical procedure ... TMZ has learned.

Teresa's lawyer, James Leonard, tells us, she was admitted Wednesday night and had a "non-cosmetic" operation Thursday morning. Leonard tells us, "she is recuperating and is looking forward to speedy recovery. She thanks everyone for their prayers and well wishes.”

Teresa appears to be recovering well, her daughter Gia posted a pic of her mom in the hospital with the caption, "Such a trooper I love you. Pray for a speedy recovery I love you" and tagged her mother.

Page Six first reported the hospitalization.

As we reported, the 'RHONJ" star got engaged to her fiancé Luis Ruelas back in October in Greece. He pulled out all the stops when he popped the big question ... with sparklers, candles, roses, a violinist and fireworks.

Of course, Teresa was married to her now ex-husband Joe Giudice for 20 years, but the two finalized their divorce in 2020.

No word yet on a wedding date for Teresa and Luis, but for now we assume the focus is making sure she gets the proper care she needs to recover.

Cheslie Kryst's suicide is changing the way the Miss USA pageant supports contestants ... and there's a new emphasis on mental health.

Contestants who are currently competing are now getting access to mental health workshops ... Crystle Stewart, Prez of the Miss USA org tells TMZ.

There's lots of mental stress that goes into the Miss USA pageants, which Crystle says can lead to anxiety and depression ... and the new workshops pair the contestants with psychiatrists and mental health experts.

Crystle says it's all being done through her organization, the Crystle Stewart Foundation, and she says the workshops will help the ladies prepare to be on stage and in the public eye, teach them coping mechanisms for when they feel anxious or overwhelmed, and show them how to avoid a state of depression if they don't win.

It's interesting ... Crystle says the mental health services will be just as important for winners as for those who don't take home the crown. She says the Miss USA winners almost have more stress, because they're immediately uprooted to Los Angeles, thrown into the Miss Universe competition and become overnight celebrities ... all of which require tons of mental prep.

It could be a life-saving addition to the Miss USA operation ... as we reported, Cheslie died by suicide earlier this year, and her mom said the 2019 Miss USA champion suffered from depression.

Crystle says Cheslie's death struck the pageant world really hard, and made her speed up the process to provide contestants with mental health resources.

Former "Love & Hip Hop" star, Apple Watts, is fighting for her life after she was involved in a serious car accident -- leaving her vehicle in flames and her in a hospital.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Watts was headed Northbound on I-15 Wednesday in Baker, CA ... when her black Mercedes and a Ford F250 pickup truck collided. We're told Watts' car flipped multiple times, and burst into flames when it came to a stop.

Cops say one of the passengers inside the F250 was able to pull Watts out of her burning vehicle ... and she was life-flighted to a Nevada hospital, where she's being treated for "major injuries."

At this time, it's unknown what caused the accident ... or if drugs or alcohol played a role in the vehicles colliding.

Naomi Osaka is taking further steps to try to improve her mental health following her breakdown at Indian Wells ... announcing Wednesday she's now seeing a therapist.

Osaka shared the news with reporters after her match in the first round of the Miami Open ... when asked how she's mentally preparing to compete following her emotional meltdown on the court in California two weeks ago.

"I don't know if I'm allowed to say this," Osaka said, "but I finally started talking to a therapist after Indian Wells."

The tennis star said her therapy -- while recent and fresh -- is already paying off ... explaining she's receiving strategies for how to cope with events that bother her.

Osaka said she finally decided to go to a therapist because her sister was concerned for her after she began crying on the court earlier this month following a heckler's "you suck" comment.

President Joe Biden has asked for the resignations of Herschel Walker and Dr. Oz from the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, and the doc is pissed.

Here's the deal ... both Walker and Oz are Republican Senate candidates -- in Georgia and Pennsylvania respectively -- and the Prez has a policy prohibiting candidates for federal office to serve on Presidential committees. So, both candidates got a letter from The White House with an ultimatum ... either resign by 6 PM Thursday or get the boot.

Oz, who was appointed to the board by Trump, went in hard, saying, "Clearly, Joe Biden can't be around anyone who doesn't completely fall in line with his fear-mongering authoritarian one-size-fits-all COVID handling. I am proud of my service and will not resign."

Dr. Oz lost his show after announcing his candidacy and it seemed he knew that was in the cards when he announced, but this pink slip got him all worked up.

What's interesting ... is going after Biden now -- when he's trying to navigate an end to the war in Ukraine -- a smart political move? Remains to be seen.

Justice Stephen Breyer is reassuring folks, his colleague, Justice Clarence Thomas, is not in any danger after being hospitalized for an infection.

We got the retiring Justice Wednesday outside Cafe Milano ... a favorite watering hole for Washington bigwigs.

Justice Thomas was hospitalized last Friday after he experienced flu-like symptoms. Turns out it was an infection, which was being treated with IV antibiotics.

The SCOTUS Public Information Office said a few days ago, Thomas was expected to be released Tuesday, but on Wednesday the PIO was mum, not saying if Thomas is back home or still laid up in the hospital.

Justice Breyer said simply, Thomas is fine.

We also asked about the confirmation hearing of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, which has become acrimonious at times, with Republicans going on the attack.

We wanted to know if he was sad the confirmation process had become hyper-political. His response was muted because the 83-year-old was masked up, but it sounds like he said, "Their politics is not my affair. My affair is done."

Whoever's disguised as the Hydra on "The Masked Singer" voiced some concern after the costume caused a near-disastrous rehearsal that forced the crew to work extra hard to keep them safe!

We're told the team scrambled to add much-needed precautions to the massive ensemble, including handles that give them something to hold on to while inside.

The massive getup includes 3 towering heads ... each able to blow smoke. FYI, a costume like this probably isn't helmed by just one celeb -- we're thinking the 3 heads might be a clue.

The outfit is so over-the-top, it requires 5 times the number of staffers it normally takes to help the mystery singer(s) ready for show time.

While contestants usually put on their costumes in dressing rooms -- allowing them to keep their identity a mystery -- the Hydra has to do things differently.

We're told the costume's so big, the performers have to walk to the stage exposed, and get dressed there. That's means the crew has to lock down the set and build a barrier to wall off the stage, keeping everything hush hush.

Bob Saget was not feeling well the night he went into his hotel room and ended up dying -- at least that's what one of the last people to speak with him is claiming.

A showrunner who works at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall -- where Bob's last show took place before he booked it to Orlando that fateful night -- told investigators Bob had disclosed to her and other stage crew that he wasn't well health-wise preshow.

The woman, whose name is Rosalie Cocci, said Bob had told them he was battling long-term COVID, and it had taken a toll on his body.

As far as what he was dealing with specifically ... the woman told cops Bob mentioned his hearing was off and he was constantly asking them to turn everything up.

In addition to hearing trouble, Cocci went on to explain Bob had said he was sick the day before, and his throat was sore ... she added he seemed to be "talking himself up" to get ready for his stand-up performance ... which he ultimately did.

In the end, Cocci says she and the crew were surprised he knocked it out of the park when push came to shove -- despite his earlier complaints, they say he didn't miss a beat and put on a great show, as if nothing was wrong.

If it's true that his hearing was off, that could cause balance issues ... it's unclear what exactly caused Bob's fatal brain bleed ... but a problem with balance could result in a fall or misjudging distance.

Now Bob's family tells TMZ, they don't believe he had long-term COVID, because he had only come down with the virus 2 weeks earlier and he never complained of hearing problems.

As you know, the authorities have said Bob bumped his head somehow while he was in his hotel room later that night -- and ended up dying as a result of a major brain bleed.

The U.S. government has finally been given access to Brittney Griner in Russia ... and in positive news, she's said to be "in good condition."

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price made the announcement on CNN on Wednesday ... explaining Russia is now allowing the U.S. to provide consular access to Griner.

Price said an official from the U.S. embassy was able to see her "within the past couple hours" -- saying they checked in on her condition and found she's doing okay while detained.

"There's only so much I can say," Price said, "but what I can say is that our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition. And we will continue to do everything we can to see to it that she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal."

Price vowed that the U.S. government will "work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly."

"That is a message that we will continue to convey in no uncertain terms to the Russian Federation," he added.

As we previously reported, Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February, after she allegedly tried to bring hash oil through airport security.

Big E is lucky to be alive ... the WWE superstar says he learned he could've died after he was dropped on his head during a recent wrestling match, suffering a broken neck.

E, whose real name is Ettore Ewen, made the stunning revelation on Twitter, saying, "Had my first doctor’s appointment and learning (because of the C1 fracture) I narrowly escaped a stroke, paralysis or death is very sobering."

"Life feels even more precious and valuable now."

The former WWE champ sustained the horrific injury after his opponent, Ridge Holland, botched a belly-to-belly suplex attempt on the near 300-pounder.

The scene was tough to watch ... E landed on his head and had to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital.

Big E, a fan favorite, gave fans an update on his condition while still at the hospital ... telling the WWE universe he could move all his fingers and his strength felt fine.

More recently, E posted another video taking a walk outside in a neck brace ... showing the world he was in "good spirits" despite the fact he's sidelined with the serious injury.

E has received support throughout this time from his contemporaries ... with wrestlers like WWE Intercontinental Champ Ricochet sending words of encouragement to the big fella on social media.

"Love you, buddy. I have no doubts you’ll be stronger at the end of this," Ricochet said.

"Thank you for all the talks and advise, life really is precious."

Hillary Clinton is the latest bigwig politician to come down with coronavirus -- but like many before her, she says she's gonna be just fine ... all thanks to being vaccinated.

The former Sec. of State and two-time presidential candidate made the announcement Tuesday, saying she'd contracted COVID-19. HC writes, "Well, I've tested positive for COVID. I've got some mild cold symptoms but am feeling fine. I'm more grateful than ever for the protection vaccines can provide against serious illness."

She adds, "Please get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already!"

Of course, since Hillary's married to the former President himself ... everyone was wondering how he might be holding up -- and she answered their curiosity, saying Bubba's currently in the clear.

Hillary explains, "Bill tested negative and is feeling fine. He's quarantining until our household is fully in the clear. Movie recommendations appreciated!"

She's just the latest politico to be hit with COVID -- just last week, Barack Obama declared he, too, had finally caught it ... and over the past several months, different U.S. senators and congress members, including AOC, have announced the same.

The good news ... they've all recovered just fine, and have attributed their resilience to having gotten the jab. So, to be frank, it's not all that concerning when we hear news like this anymore ... albeit, still startling considering their stature in the country.

It's certainly not as scary as early on in the pandemic, when then-President Donald Trump caught the damn thing ... but vaccines weren't available yet, and he seemed to be in bad shape.

Wanna eat like Tom Brady?! Now's your chance ... 'cause the 7x Super Bowl winners supermodel wife, Gisele Bündchen, is releasing a health and wellness cookbook based on the Brady family diet.

So ... avocado ice cream anyone?!

The 41-year-old partnered with United Talent Agency (UTA) and wrote the book around recipes her and her Buccaneers QB husband -- along with their kids -- eat on a routine basis.

Unfortunately, those of you who want to eat like the Brady Bunch will have to wait until 2024 when the book is released.

Brady's diet is truly fascinating. He didn't eat even eat a strawberry (a STRAWBERRY!) until he was in his 40s.

A few years back Brady detailed his diet in 'The TB12 Method' book ... including that "delicious, but much healthier" avocado dessert.

In fact, Tom's then-personal chef mentioned 80% of what Brady's family ate was vegetables.

But, whatever he's doin' seems to be working ... TB's going into his 23rd season as an NFL player, and is generally regarded as the greatest player of all time.

Amanda Bynes can now make personal and financial decisions on her own ... after a judge just officially put an end to her 9 year conservatorship.

As we reported, the judge issued a tentative ruling on Monday, saying that the conservatorship was "no longer required" ... and now it has been made official, at today's hearing.

Amanda's attorney, David A. Esquibias, tells us, “Amanda appreciates the love and support of her fans during this time. She thanks her family for never giving up. Now that the conservatorship has ended, she looks forward to completing her bachelor’s degree and living her life.”

The former child star filed the docs in L.A. in February ... asking for her mother to no longer serve as Amanda's conservator.

Amanda was placed under conservatorship back in 2013, when it became clear that she was struggling with her mental health. She had a string of bizarre episodes, including one when she set her neighbor's driveway on fire. AB attributed the episodes to bipolar disorder and also opened up about her addiction to Adderall ... but has since gotten help.

Amanda says, she's been sober for several years now, and she surely seems to be doing a whole lot better. She's gotten a degree from Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and has also gotten engaged to her fiancé, Paul Michael.

On top of all her progress ... Amanda's petition for personal freedom was supported by her mom and dad ... so, this result comes as no huge surprise but is still a big win for AB.

Now, she's free to live her life and we know she has some big plans are in the near future ... like getting a place with her soon-to-be hubby.

Amanda's didn't appear in court, but her "All That" costars Leon Frierson and Christy Knowings showed up to support.