this is how he almost died-"IAN SOMERHALDER STRUGGLED WITH WALKING PNEUMONIA (AN EXTREME VERSION OF THE FLU) LATE LAST YEAR WHILE PUTTING TOGETHER THE EPISODES OF THE SHOW ON OUR SCREENS THIS WEEK. "IT WAS A BATTLE," HE SAD. "THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A BUNCH OF MEDICATIONS SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK AND BREATHE, AND THAT DOPES YOU UP, AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE ONE OF THOSE LITTLE BOBBLEHEAD CHIHUAHUAS....I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES FOR ANY KIND OF BAD PERFORMANCE, BUT IT JUST LEVELED ME, AND IT LEVELED DAMON.