Living With Parkinson's
- Ozzy Osbourne, 74, was photographed this week walking into a medical center in Los Angeles, California, just hours after he announced his retirement from touring.
- Back in 2020, Ozzy Osbourne announced he had Parkinson’s, a diagnosis he received in 2003.
- Before his most recent operation, to remove and realign pins in his neck and back in June 2022, Osbourne has dealt with nerve pain, blood clots, depression, staph infections, and surgery to fix his neck after falling in a bathroom in January 2019. The bathroom fall came about 16 years after the musician's quad-bike accident at this Buckinghamshire home.
- Parkinson's is a chronic illness that impacts the nervous system. Over time, more symptoms start to appear in the body. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's, but researchers like those at The Michael J. Fox Foundation are working to change that.
The Black Sabbath vocalist was photographed by Fox News Digital walking into a medical center in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
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His heartbreaking statement continued, “I am honestly humbled by the way you've all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that I'm not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn't deal with the travel required. Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really F**KS ME UP, more than you will ever know.”
Before noting that “ticket refunds are available at point of purchase,” Osbourne admitted that he never would have predicted his touring life to end in this manner.
Osbourne’s team is working on ideas for future performances that don’t involve him traveling across the globe.
“I want to thank my family……my band…….my crew……my longtime friends, @JudasPriest, and of course, my fans for their endless dedication, loyalty, and support, and for giving me the life that I never ever dreamed I would have,” he concluded in his emotional announcement.
The rocker who has been unsteady on his feet from Parkinson's disease had a life-altering surgery to remove and realign pins in his neck and back in June 2022, according to Page Six.
RELATED: Kathy Griffin Shares Warm Moment With Ozzy Osbourne As He Battles Serious Medical Issues
Before his most recent operation, Osbourne has dealt with nerve pain, blood clots, depression, staph infections, and surgery to fix his neck after falling in a bathroom in January 2019. The bathroom fall came about 16 years after the musician's quad-bike accident at this Buckinghamshire home.
Osbourne’s wife Sharon, 70, also took to social media following his tour cancellation announcement.
Alongside a photo of her husband performing at the NFL halftime show for the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills’ season opener on September 8, Sharon wrote, “Pretty obvious who I'm watching. Still awestruck @ozzyosbourne.”
In the photo, a teary-eyed Sharon is seen looking up at the stage as her husband performed with her hand over her mouth.
Sharon, a colon cancer survivor, and her rocker husband celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary last year.
“2022 is a special year for me. It marks 40 years of marriage to my darling Ozzy. We first met when I was 18, over 52 years we have been friends, lovers, husband & wife, grandparents and soulmates. Always at each other's side. I love you Ozzy ~ Sharrrrrrron x,” Sharon captioned a July 4, 2022, Instagram post.
Living With Parkinson’s Disease
Back in 2020, Ozzy Osbourne announced he had Parkinson’s, a diagnosis he received in 2003.
Speaking to The Observer last year, Osbourne touched on the physical and mental struggles of the disease. "You think you're lifting your feet, but your foot doesn't move,” he said. “I feel like I'm walking around in lead boots."
Regarding how he felt at around the time when he went public about his disease, Osbourne, who was also struggling with depression at the time, said “I reached a plateau that was lower than I wanted it to be. Nothing really felt great. Nothing. So I went on these antidepressants, and they work OK."
However, he was able to power through the tough times with the help of his wife Sharon and daughter Kelly. "Without my Sharon, I'd be f***ing gone. We have a little row now and then, but otherwise we just get on with it."
Sharon Osbourne has been by her husband’s side during her colon cancer diagnosis in 2002. She underwent three months of chemotherapy to treat her disease. After a successful treatment, she remains cancer-free today.
Like Osbourne, 61-year-old Michael J. Fox is also living with the disease. Fox was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's in 1991 when he was just 29. He kept his diagnosis private for seven years before sharing it with the public in 1998, and has since become a spokesperson for Parkinson's and led the charge on more research and funding for this disease.
His organization, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease by funding research and developing therapies.
What Is Parkinson’s?
Parkinson's is a chronic illness that impacts the nervous system. Over time, more symptoms start to appear in the body. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's, but researchers like those at The Michael J. Fox Foundation are working to change that.
Medications can be taken to mitigate and control some symptoms of Parkinson's. Some of these medications include dopamine promoters, antidepressants, cognition-enhancing medication, and anti-tremor medication.
For people living with a disease like Parkinson's, Fox previously shared some advice during his AARP interview, saying, "Have an active life and do not let yourself get isolated and marginalized. You can live with it. People sometimes say that a relative or a parent or a friend died of Parkinson's. You don't die of  Parkinson's. You die with Parkinson's, because once you have it, you have it for life until we can remedy that, and we're working hard at it."
"So, to live with it, you need to exercise and be in shape and to eat well," says Fox. " If you can't drive, find a way to get around. Maintain friendships. Don't say, 'Oh, I don't have anything to say to Bob.' Bob might have something to say to you. Just make the call.”
Prioritizing Mental Health & Acceptance After a Diagnosis
Finding the Support You Need
During a struggle with Parkinson’s disease or a cancer battle, it's important to know that you are not alone. Osbourne had his wife and daughter, along with other family members and friends, by his side but you don't have a big family to get the support you need during a battle with disease.
There's always people out there for you to be vulnerable with, if you'd like, and connecting with others as you battle the disease can make a world of difference.
Dealing With Grief Related to Health Problems
And it's normal to feel sad about changes in your life that might be brought on by a diagnosis.
"Grief comes in waves," says Dr. Scott Irwin, a psychiatrist and Director of Supportive Care Services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. "They're grieving the change in their life, the future they had imagined is now different." S
Some days can be tougher than others, but Dr. Irwin says talk therapy is helpful so it's important to reach out to your doctor, to a therapist or to support groups in your community.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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