Sufjan Stevens has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a devastating autoimmune disease that left him unable to walk.
The singer-songwriter, 48, shared the update on Instagram Wednesday, ahead of the Oct. 6 release of his 10th album, "Javelin."
"Last month I woke up one morning and couldn't walk," he wrote. "My hands, arms and legs were numb and tingling and I had no strength, no feeling, no mobility."
After undergoing a series of tests ranging from MRIs to EMGs, X-rays, spinal taps and echo-cardiograms, Stevens learned he has Guillain-Barré syndrome, which is a disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own nerves.
"Luckily there's treatment for this — they administer immuno-hemoglobin infusions for five days and pray that the disease doesn't spread to the lungs, heart and brain," Stevens wrote. "Very scary, but it worked."
Stevens, who was nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar for his 2017 song "Mystery of Love," was in hospital for two weeks before starting rehab on Sept. 8. He is now focusing on physical therapy to help him regain strength to walk again.
"It's a slow process, but they say I will 'recover,' it just takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work," Stevens explained.
"Most people who have GBS learn to walk again on their own within a year, so I am hopeful," he continued. "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!"
Stevens concluded his post by thanking his fans for their support and prayers as well as the "incredible caretakers of the world working night and day to help us heal."
"They are living saints."
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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