Musician Travis Barker is recovering from what he calls an episode of “life-threatening pancreatitis.” The 46-year-old, who is married to reality TV star, Kourtney Kardashian, posted a series of tweets over the holiday weekend in which he described his “excruciating pain” that landed him in the hospital last week.

According to Good Morning America, Barker said while undergoing an endoscopy, he had “a very small polyp removed right in a very sensitive area, usually handled by specialists, which unfortunately damaged a critical pancreatic drainage tube. This resulted in severe, life-threating pancreatitis.”

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, a long, flat gland that sits tucked behind the stomach in the upper abdomen, says the Mayo Clinic. The condition can be acute, appearing suddenly and lasting several days, or it can be chronic, occurring over many years.

Mild cases of pancreatitis improve with treatment, but severe cases can cause life-threatening complications. Symptoms of acute pancreatitis, which Barker suffered, include:

• Upper abdominal pain

• Tenderness when touching the abdomen

• Fever

• Rapid pulse

• Nausea

• Vomiting

Causes include gallstones, alcoholism, certain medications, abdominal surgery, infection, obesity, and trauma, says the Mayo Clinic. Treatment for acute pancreatitis is usually hospitalization to monitor the inflammation and to ensure the patient is getting sufficient nutrition with intravenous fluids while controlling pain. Surgery is sometimes needed to treat complications, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases.

Since his hospitalization, Barker said he is “very very grateful” for intensive treatment, according to GMA. “I am so much better,” he said on Twitter.

Kardashian described in her Instagram story how “scary and emotional” she felt.

“Our health is everything and sometimes we take for granted how quickly it can change. I am so grateful for God healing my husband, for all your prayers for him and for us, for the overwhelming outpouring of love and support,” she wrote.