Mattress Mack says infection caused him to speak gibberish, vomit

Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale is out of the hospital after a health scare left him disoriented and vomiting outside Gallery Furniture late last week.

True to form, McIngvale posted to X throughout his ensuing three-day stay at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center as doctors worked to diagnose his condition. McIngvale's messages included updates on a large rash on his left leg as well as appeals to customers to take advantage of Gallery Furniture's ongoing Labor Day Sale. On Monday McIngvale revealed his diagnosis during a sit-down interview with FOX 26's Coco Dominguez.

Sitting on his couch at home, McIngvale told Dominguez he's been diagnosed with cellulitis—a bacterial infection that afflicts deep tissue and can be life-threatening if not properly treated. The furniture magnate told Dominguez that he was unable to sleep and suffered temporary memory loss before being admitted to the hospital on Saturday.

"On Friday night I was tossing and turning all night long even though I have a Tempur-Pedic mattress," McIngvale said. "I woke up as normal, got dressed and went to work, and for the first time in 43 years I drove past the exit.

"So I got to work and then I vomited in the parking lot. Then I went in the store and the guys said I was all talking gibberish. They called an ambulance and took me down to St. Luke's Hospital."

McIngvale said he'd initially feared he'd had another small stroke, but it was ultimately cellulitis that caused a "temporary disconnect of [his] cognitive abilities." The furniture magnate went on to say he feels "great" and would be back at work Tuesday. Cellulitis typically affects the lower legs and occurs when a break in the skin allows bacteria to enter the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

Naturally, McIngvale hasn't allowed this setback to interrupt his activities. On Tuesday he posted more videos of himself to X, one featuring Houston vigilante journalist Grizzy of Grizzy's Hood News and another prognosticating on sports with longtime Houston Texans sportswriter John McClain.

"Cellulitis is no fun," McIngvale told McClain Tuesday at the beginning of their 18-minute sports chat. 

In short, there are no days off promoting in the world of Mack—potentially deadly infections be damned.