Some very, very sad news to report …
Billy Joel has been diagnosed with NPH … Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a brain disorder which affects hearing, vision and balance.
As a result, he has cancelled / postponed all of his upcoming concerts through June. It is believed that his health condition has been made worse by recent concert performances and doctors have advised him to cancel all upcoming appearances. He is currently undergoing specific physical therapy under his doctor's instructions for this condition and has been advised to "refrain from performing during this recovery period."
In a statement, Joel said "I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding. I am thankful for the excellent care I am receiving and I am fully committed to prioritizing my health. I am grateful for the support from fans during this time and I look forward to the day when I can once again take the stage."
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
is a disorder where excess cerebro spinal fluid accumulates in the brain. It is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s or
Parkinson’s disease. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
is rare, impacting only 0.2 percent of older people. Sufferers usually undergo
surgery where a shunt is implanted to remove the excess fluids. Less than 20 percent of people with the
disease are properly diagnosed.
Joel’s statement says that ticket holders "don't need to take any action to receive your refund. It will be automatically processed back to the original payment used for the purchase."
This truly is some VERY sad news … and we wish him a healthy and speedy recovery. I knew something had to be wrong when he collapsed on stage in February, losing his balance when twirling his mic-stand … it just didn’t look right. Such a shame that he JUST finally got back to writing and recording new material again this past year after decades of relying only on the old hits. I hope doctors are able to remedy this situation soon and satisfactorily so Billy can get back out there and do what he loves the most. (kk)
I am happy to report that after discussing this with Tom Cuddy, he sent me this …
Just spoke to a neurologist. She said, if caught early, the chances of a full recovery is extremely high.
Let’s all remain hopeful that this is the case in Billy’s situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. (kk)
