Madonna's worried family kept her failing health a secret from fans for five days.
The singer, 64, was found unconscious on Saturday night, but news of her illness wasn't made public until Wednesday.
The Queen of Pop's nearest and dearest were initially "preparing for the worst".
Only yesterday fans were told Madonna is suffering from a "serious bacterial infection", her manager Guy Oseary confirmed.
Now one relative has said the illness was kept a secret because they were unsure if she was going to pull through.
"For the past couple of days, no one really knew which direction this was going to turn, and her family was preparing for the worst," the relative said to the Daily Mail.
"That is why it was kept a secret since Saturday... Everyone believed that we may lose her and that has been the reality of the situation."
They added that the sudden illness had brought the family together and it had been a "wake-up call" for the Grammy-award-winning artist, leading to her scheduled tour being cancelled.
Fans rushed to encourage the star to prioritise her health as the tour starting on July 15 was scrapped.
One told her on Instagram: "Please don’t do the tour your health is the priority not the tour Madonna take good care of yourself..you are within the lgbttq+ and the rest of New York a national treasure..sending you positive energy..you’ve got this my Queen".
Another put: "@Madonna if you read this, know that we don't care if you never ever release a new single or if you never put your feet on a stage again, we want you to be healthy more than anything. We love you like a close family member. You gave us so much already. I will pray the most i can for your fast and total recovery. Get well soon, we love you with all our hearts",
Madonna is a mum of six. Her children are Lourdes, 26; Rocco, 22; David, 17; Mercy, 17; and 10-year-old twins Stella and Estere.
None of her children have commented on their mother's illness yet.
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