Olympic gold hero Michael Klim diagnosed with rare auto-immune disease
Australian Olympic gold-medallist Michael Klim has been diagnosed with a debilitating disorder that has left him unable to walk unassisted.
NSW
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Former swimming champion Michael Klim has been secretly battling an incurable and debilitating disorder which has resulted in him losing sensation in both his feet.
In 2020, the Olympic gold medallist was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), an auto-immune disorder that attacks the myelin sheaths of your nerves and affects function and weakness in the areas of the arms, hands, legs, and feet.
The shock diagnosis has seen him collapse in front of his children and rely on what best mate Ian Thorpe has branded his “human walking stick,” partner Michelle Owen so to not fall down in public.
After battling symptoms for a number of years, Klim was forced to see a medical professional who diagnosed him with the rare disorder.
He now has limited leg functionality and relies on walking sticks and braces to support him.
“In 2019 I started to get symptoms that I didn’t realise were connected to my diagnosis,” Klim told The Sunday Telegraph.
“I have been dealing with chronic ankle problems and degenerative back issues for quite some time and over the past few years, I noticed severe muscle wastage in my legs, difficulty with balance, some loss of function from the knees down, numbness in my thighs and feet, to the extent I was unable to stand.”
He now depends on a walking stick to get around, has had to make drastic changes to his diet and undergoes a rigorous rehabilitation program to manage the effects of the disorder and pain.
“I began IVIG treatment (intravenous Immunoglobulin) to reduce the effect of the inflammatory conditions that attack the immune system,” he said.
“Amid the pandemic I needed to return to Australia from my home in Bali for an immediate back operation to decompress the nerves in my spine and resume IVIG treatment (Intravenous Immunoglobulin).
“Massages, cupping and acupuncture help as well as using a tens machine regularly to activate my muscles. I’ve had special orthotics and braces fitted to support my drop foot and weak legs. Without them I can’t walk and need a walking stick.
My diet has required a lot of attention. I tried the carnivore diet as a process of elimination which seemed to work so I try to maintain mostly carnivore.
The debilitating condition has impacted his whole family, including his children, Stella, 16, son Rocco, 13 and Frankie, 11, whom he shares with ex-wife Lindy Rama-Ellis who he split with in 2016 after 10 years of marriage.
The kids often take turns for him to lean on them for balance.
“I’m also extremely lucky to have a very supportive partner. Michelle has been there with me every step of this journey, I know she has sacrificed a lot. She is, as Thorpy likes to call it, my “human walking stick,”’ he said.
In an interview on The Project which airs on Sunday night, Klim also opens up about how people react to his diagnosis and reveals he relied on alcohol to “numb the pain.”
“People that I’ve told, or I have spoken to about my CIDP, they’ve said oh, you’re an Olympic athlete you’ve got that mental strength to get you through this,” he tells The Project.
“And it’s actually, hasn’t necessarily been the case. It’s not like I can do extra exercises or this or that, if anything, I’ve been more despondent about it. And it’s more depressing.
“I’ve gone through phases where I even drank too much and tried to numb the pain.
“I give myself about an hour a day to feel sorry and angry and frustrated and whatever else or what other emotion comes into my mind, and then move on with the rest of life”.
Despite keeping his shock diagnosis a secret for two years, Klim feels ready to speak out and hopes telling his story might secure more research and funding into CIDP.
“Only recently I have started to share my story as it was getting harder to discuss my symptoms,” he tells The Project.
“We then came to find more people suffering from this condition. It made me realise that this rare condition might not be as rare as I think so I wanted to share my story in hope that more research can be directed towards CIDP.
“It’s hard accepting that my identity will no longer be reliant on my athletic ability. I now need to find a new mindset and mental toughness to allow me to overcome and accept this new challenge. Sharing my journey is another part of this healing process and I would hope that it brings awareness to CIDP and resonates with people who may be going through similar challenges.”
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