Sufjan Stevens, 48, diagnosed with autoimmune disease Guillain-Barre Syndrome and reveals he’s been forced to ‘learn to walk again’
Sufjan Stevens has been diagnosed with autoimmune disease Guillain-Barre Syndrome, he revealed in an Instagram post on Monday.
The 48-year-old shared his health update with a picture of himself sat in wheelchair while recovering in hospital.
Guillain-Barre syndrome – which has recently been linked to Covid – is a rare disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks your nerves and can cause weakness and tingling in your hands and feet.
The symptoms can quickly spread, eventually paralyzing your whole body, and the Oscar-nominated performer told fans on Monday that he was ‘working really hard to get back on my feet’ and has had to ‘learn to walk again.’
Stevens is set to release a new album, Javelin, on October 6.
However, he explained to fans that he has not been able to promote the project due to his health condition.
Making it known: Sufjan Stevens revealed that he had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in a post that was shared on his Instagram on Monday morning
‘I’m very excited about having new music to share, but I just wanted to let you know that one of the reasons why I haven’t been able to participate in the press and promotion leading up to the release of Javelin is bc I am in the hospital,’ he wrote.
The Grammy Award-nominated performer then spoke about how he was suddenly faced with the symptoms of the autoimmune disease.
The singer recalled: ‘Last month I woke up one morning and couldn’t walk. My hands, arms and legs were numb and tingling and I had no strength, no feeling, no mobility.’
He added: ‘My brother drove me to the ER and after a series of tests—MRIs, EMGs, cat scans, X-rays, spinal taps (!), echo-cardiograms, etc.—the neurologists diagnosed me with an auto immune disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome.’
What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?
Guillain-Barré syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which complications on one’s immune system leads to damage to the nerves and weakness to the muscles, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The disease can result in paralysis or death, according to the CDC. Most of those suffering from the diseases fully recover, but it can leave permanent damages to the nerves.
The disease impacts about 1 of every 100,000 people, with annual domestic cases in the U.S. ranging from 3,000-6,000 people. It is predominantly found in men ages 50 and above.
Doctors typically treat the condition with plasma exchanges and immunoglobulin therapy, the CDC said.
The Academy Award-nominated songwriter then spoke about beginning his process of recovery from the disease, which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its nervous system.
Symptoms of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which only affects one in every 100,000 people per year, include weakness in the muscles and paralysis.
Stevens then wrote: ‘Luckily there’s treatment for this…very scary, but it worked. I spent about two weeks in Med/Surg, stuck in a bed, while my doctors did all the things to keep me alive and stabilize my condition. I owe them my life.’
The performer added that he was currently in the middle of his period of recovery, about which he was cautiously optimistic.
‘I am now undergoing intensive physical therapy/occupational therapy, strength building etc. to get my body back in shape and to learn to walk again. It’s a slow process, but they say I will “recover,” it just takes a lot of time,’ he wrote.
Dire situation: The singer recalled that ‘Last month I woke up one morning and couldn’t walk. My hands, arms and legs were numb and tingling and I had no strength, no feeling, no mobility’; he is seen in 2018
Being honest: The Academy Award-nominated songwriter then spoke about beginning his process of recovery from the disease, which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its nervous system; he is seen in 2017
Looking up: The performer added that he was currently in the middle of his period of recovery, about which he was cautiously optimistic; he is seen in 2006
Stevens added: ‘Most people who have GBS learn to walk again on their own within a year, so I am hopeful. I’m only in my second week of rehab but it is going really well and I am working really hard to get back on my feet.’
‘I’m committed to getting better, I’m in good spirits, and I’m surrounded by a really great team. I want to be well! I’ll keep you posted as I progress. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, he wrote.
The singer then sent a ‘huge shout out to all the incredible caretakers of the world working night and day to help us heal. They are living saints.’
Stevens concluded by writing: ‘Be well, be joyful, stay sane, stay safe. I love you. Yours truly from a wheelchair XOXOXO.’
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