Sufjan Stevens is opening up about his health. The 48-year-old “Mystery of Love” singer-songwriter shared an update to his Instagram on Wednesday (September 20), revealing a diagnosis ahead of the release of his new album, Javelin. “Hi Friends.
Quick update on my life. 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 began. Keep reading to find out more… “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. 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 Guillian-Barre Syndrome,” he continued. “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.
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.