Joni Mitchell's desire for privacy means we're bound to hear countless rumors about her health during her recovery from the medical crisis that put her in the emergency room earlier this year, but Mitchell's fans and well-wishers should remember to take them all with a grain of salt — even when they come from old friends like David Crosby.

Crosby made headlines last week when he told a reporter that to his knowledge, Mitchell was still non-verbal after taking "a terrible hit" to her health. Calling her "a tough girl" and "the greatest living singer-songwriter," he said, "She had an aneurysm, and nobody found her for a while. And she’s going to have to struggle back from it the way you struggle back from a traumatic brain injury."

Mitchell's camp has been steadfast in maintaining her privacy throughout this ordeal, but the flurry of new publicity following Crosby's interview apparently prompted a statement from her conservator, Leslie Morris, who allowed the following press release through Mitchell's official site:

Joni did in fact suffer an aneurysm. However, details that have emerged in the past few days are mostly speculative. The truth is that Joni is speaking, and she's speaking well. She is not walking yet, but she will be in the near future as she is undergoing daily therapies. She is resting comfortably in her own home and she's getting better each day. A full recovery is expected.

This statement backs up a recent report that said speech was "difficult" for Mitchell but she's "communicating" and added, "it's a long way to go, but she can do it." Recovery will no doubt continue to be a private matter for the esteemed artist, who's largely receded from public life in recent years, although we're sure to see more speculation over the weeks and months to come.

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