In an exclusive interview with Robin Roberts for "Good Morning America" , Ozzy Osbourne , his children and his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne , are shedding light on the private health battle he experienced after a fall and Parkinson's diagnosis last February.
"It's been terribly challenging for us all," Ozzy told Roberts . "I did my last show New Year's Eve at The Forum. Then I had a bad fall. I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves."
To complicate the matters further, Osbourne revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that progresses slowly in most people, and has no cure.
"It's PRKN 2," said his wife, Sharon . "There's so many different types of Parkinson's; it's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect certain nerves in your body. And it's — it's like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day."
While it was difficult for the rock star to address what he's gone through in the past year, his fans have also been a source of support.
"They're my air, you know," said Ozzy of his fans. "I feel better. I've owned up to the fact that I have — a case of Parkinson's. And I just hope they hang on and they're there for me because I need them."
The singer is now taking medication for Parkinson's and nerve pain.
"I got a numbness down this arm for the surgery; my legs keep going cold," he said. "I don't know if that's the Parkinson's or what, you know, but that's — see, that's the problem. Because they cut nerves when they did the surgery. I'd never heard of nerve pain, and it's a weird feeling."
Ozzy said that he wanted to come clean and let his fans know about what's been going on.
"To hide something is hard — you never feel proper," he said. "You feel guilty. I'm no good with secrets. I cannot walk around with it anymore. It's like I'm running out of excuses.
"I feel better now that I have owned up to the fact that I have a case of Parkinson's."
Ozzy and Sharon revealed they have exhausted the medical options in the U.S. and will travel to Switzerland in April to seek advice from a professor who specializes in the condition.
"We're going to go wherever we can go to find answers," Sharon said. Ozzy added: "We're lucky we can afford to do that."
Parkinson's, a progressive neurological condition, affects 1 in 350 people. The disease, which is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain, leads to problems with movement and gets worse over time.
Ozzy is not the only high-profile heavy metal musician battling Parkinson's disease. JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's six years ago after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier.
Pat Torpey , the longtime drummer for rock group MR. BIG , died in February 2018 due to complications from Parkinson's disease.
In early 2019, Ozzy fell at his Los Angeles home, aggravating years-old injuries from his 2003 ATV accident that required new surgery. As a result, Ozzy scrapped all his 2019 tour dates, both in North America and Europe, as he recovered.
Ozzy 's new solo album, "Ordinary Man" , will arrive on February 21 via Epic Records .
