Woman shared funny video of her sister snoring until her followers alerted her to a health emergency

In a recent video, a woman explained how TikTok users helped a woman discover a medical issue that had been affecting her younger sister for years. Chloe Joy Sexton, who goes by @chloebluffcakes on TikTok, said in the video, which has gone viral with 4.3 million views and over 533k likes, that countless viewers had reached out with concern about her sister’s labored breathing in previous videos. She also posted the video on her Instagram @chloejoysexton, where she explained that Charlotte had always struggled to breathe and sleep, but it wasn’t until a follower messaged her that she learned it might be something serious.

One parent DMed her saying, "Your sister is snoring because she might need her adenoids and tonsils removed. Have the PCP refer her to ENT. I’m a mom of 5. I can hear it." The message encouraged Sexton to take her sister, Charlotte, for a check-up, where doctors confirmed Charlotte had "one of the worst cases of oversized tonsils" they had seen. Medical studies have shown that the condition mostly affects children. Research published in 2010 by Sun Jung Chang and Kyu Young Chae found that tonsillar hypertrophy is most common in children aged 6 to 13, often linked to snoring, apnea, mouth breathing, and airway obstruction. A recent cross-sectional study found higher rates of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children than older estimates (which put it around 3%).

Sexton revealed that she’s been raising her sister since their mother passed away and felt a deep sense of guilt for not recognizing the symptoms sooner. "I feel so much guilt for missing the signs," she wrote. "I’m trying to make it fun and not scary, but we both hate hospitals." She also thanked her followers in the caption, writing, "Thank you. The moms of TikTok really helped me with this one."

She added that Charlotte was now recovering from surgery after having her tonsils and adenoids removed. "Charlotte’s having a pretty rough time at recovery right now. It’s been really tough to tempt her to eat or help her sleep, so any suggestions are welcome. The whole experience has really made her miss our mom in a very painful way, and I know I can’t replace her. Looking forward to her being on the other side of this and really, extremely proud of her." The story gained wide attention for showing how online communities can still come together to help. 

@carolinecares13 wrote, "You didn’t 'miss' the signs — you didn’t know them! And those in your community who did point them out. Your mom would be so proud of you down here, Chloe, but her heavenly pride paints the sky." @scullxbones said, "This is the village. We don’t have them the way we used to. And that’s okay. We adapted. But I love the TikTok village." Others offered practical help. @kawaiikatie1107 commented, "Remember, 'pain' meds are not just for pain. They are anti-inflammatories. They reduce swelling. This allows easier, better, and less painful healing. So even if she 'isn’t hurting,' please stay on top of the meds." @emilookira added, "The best advice I ever got — you do the best with the information you have at the time. You’re doing so great!"

You can follow Chloe Joy Sexton (@chloebluffcakes) on TikTok and Instagram for more personal life content.

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