?Lost The Ability To Walk?: Olympic Swimming Legend Makes Heartbreaking Confession On Incurable Disease

Creator of straight-arm freestyle swimming, Michael Klim is one of the most celebrated Olympic swimmers. Klim had a glorious swimming career during the 1990s and 2000s. However, in 2020, the three-time Olympic gold medalist revealed that he was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). It is an incurable disease where the patient cannot walk.

In a recent podcast, Klim opened up about his medical condition, limited leg functionality, and how it affected him. Klim had. He could only walk using walking sticks, braces, or with human support. Fans were shocked to hear about the world record holder?s rare health condition.

Michael Klim opens up about his health condition

After retiring for the second time in 2011, Klim continued with his business ventures. However, in 2020 he revealed his CIPD diagnosis, which was quite heart-wrenching for fans to know. Recently, in a podcast with Danny Kennedy, Klim revisited the initial struggle he faced with the incurable disease.

Klim described the CIPD disease stating it was ?an autoimmune disorder where you?re predominantly or it starts at your feet or your hands and the nerves?. The lining of the nerves begin to frail, which results in the signal not being sent properly.?

The retired Olympic swimmer expressed that initially, he felt that someone was pouring hot water down the inside of his leg and things. He would also feel a weird tingling sensation in his legs.

Klim first felt the symptoms of the disease in 2019, which he did not realize then. Moreover, he also felt chronic ankle problems and degenerative back issues. By May 2020, Klim stated that he ?lost the ability to walk, unaided. So I had to either walk on crutches or have a walking stick. And yeah, it was demoralizing.?

Read More: ?It?s Eating Its Own Tissue?- Olympic Swimming Icon Makes a Heartbreaking Confession on His Incurable Disease

Moreover, his unfortunate condition made him live in denial for some time. He opened up about how he struggled with the disease in his blog.

Klim shared how he responded to CIPD

Initially, Michael Klim could not accept his condition. He stated in his blog that he could not do anything to stop his deteriorating health condition. After coming out of his denial phase, the swimmer began to cope with CIPD. He began to induce a positive attitude in himself and not think about the disease much.

Moreover, Klim left alcohol, which he previously consumed to forget about the disease. He changed his diet and began consuming more meat. Also, he focused on the things that he could do instead of the activities which he could not.

Watch This Story: Swimming Legend Michael Phelps Top 5 Iconic Career Races

Michael Klim continues to battle the disease, inspiring people with similar conditions to live happily despite suffering of with it.