Madonna’s health scare should justify more love for her after recent mockery

Madonna sang that she’ll “Die Another Day” on her 2002 Bond theme accompanying the film of the same name.

But it was more of a cheeky quip than any real acceptance of her own mortality. Back then and even two decades later, the indomitable diva seemingly felt as if she would outlive us all — and we did too.

However, that collective gasp heard ’round the world late Wednesday afternoon — when we all found out that Madonna had been rushed to the hospital after being found unresponsive — was a wake-up call.

According to an Instagram statement from her longtime manager, Guy Oseary, Madonna had “developed a serious bacterial infection which led to a several day stay in the ICU.” She was reportedly intubated for at least a night, but on Wednesday she was awake and recovering with the tube removed.

At 64, we can no longer take Madonna for granted, folks.

Time to rethink all those jokes about her plastic surgery, her age-inappropriate outfits and her bizarre Instagram filters.

We should all be glad that Madonna is still here — and, in fact, was preparing for her “Celebration” tour, set to kick off July 15, that would commemorate her 40-year career. (Oseary says that she will have to “pause all commitments.”)

Indeed, her self-titled debut — the one with “Borderline,” “Lucky Star” and “Holiday” that I just gave its annual Pride Sunday spin — was released four decades ago, on July 27, 1983.

And ever since then, as she has delivered hit after hit in decade after decade, it has been impossible to imagine a world without Madonna.

But yet, we mocked her — one of the biggest game-changing, rule-breaking forces in the history of pop music.

I found out about Madonna’s hospitalization after I had been watching “Wham! The Documentary,” which premieres on Netflix July 5. And I was once again struck by how the Queen of Pop is the last survivor of the great ’80s pop superstars.

George Michael, Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston — they’re all gone. And none of them even made it to 60.

And while Tina Turner was much older than Madonna when she passed away at 83 last month, a part of those same ’80s glory days died with her, too.

So whatever happens next for Madonna — and, thankfully, she is expected to make a full recovery — let’s make sure to give her her flowers while she can still smell them … and while she can still crush them in spike-heeled dominatrix boots if she damn well pleases.