Colt Ford is suffering from an autoimmune disorder, one that he was diagnosed with after successfully battling eye cancer. Now, he is opening up about the disease that has been tough, but not tough enough to take over his life as he continues to showcase his enduring spirit and tours around the country.
On Tuesday (May 30), the country/rap artist turned to Facebook to share his health diagnosis with his more than 2 million followers.
Suffering From Myasthenia Gravis
This clip shows Ford lying on what appears to be a hospital bed as he reveals he is suffering from myasthenia gravis. According to Mayo Clinic, myasthenia gravis is a disease that is “characterized by weakness and rapid fatigue of any of the muscles under your voluntary control. It’s caused by a breakdown in the normal communication between nerves and muscles.”
“Hey guys, so I’m here getting my first infusion. VYVGART, I think, is what it’s called,” Ford says in the video. “If you see my eye, if some of y’all haven’t seen my right eye, I got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis. It affects your vision and your throat, and your voice. It can do all kinds of things, and I’m trying this new medicine that I’m hoping is going to be really helpful for me.”
Colt Ford Will Continue To Tour & Play Live Shows Despite Health Condition
Despite his health condition, which unfortunately has no cure, Ford insisted he will continue to tour and play live shows.
“It’s been tough the last year. I haven’t really told everybody, but you guys are — but I can still play shows. I’m still rocking,” he added. “I just can’t see very well, but I’m hoping this new drug is going to help, and I love y’all.”
Ford, who dropped his brand-new album, Must Be the Country, on May 19 via Average Joes Entertainment, shared his health diagnosis with Taste of Country earlier this year, saying, “Last year I got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease…. It’s been tough. The last year quite honestly got really hard for me. It’s a disease, and there’s no cure for this.”
Disease Affected Ford’s Right Eye
The 52-year-old Georgian also shared that, at the time, the disease had not affected his throat, but he had no control over his right eye.
“It really messes with your vision,” he said, adding that the fatigue that came along with the illness at one point caused him to sleep 17 hours a day. “I could see perfectly out of either eye, but then I would look together, and I’d see three of you, and you would be melting together like a lava lamp.”
Ford seems to have a better handle on his medical situation now and has even picked up golfing again after being unable to hit the course, according to the outlet.
“That was my escape. That was my relaxation. Then all of a sudden, I couldn’t do that at all. Just thinking of going to the golf course made me nauseous because it caused me so much anxiety,” he shared. “I feel like I’m on the other side. I’ve gotten out of that hole now, and I ain’t going back down in it.”
In his social media message on Tuesday, Ford closed out his notes by thanking his friends, family, and fans for showing their support in his health journey through what has been a difficult time and for also taking the time to listen to his new album.
“Thank you for supporting the new record that’s out now. Must Be the Country and just supporting me and loving me for all these years,” he captioned. “That still makes me want to get out there and play hard. We got you shows coming up this week, and we’re going to rock out, so God bless y’all. Y’all stay tuned.”
New Album, Must Be The Country
Colt Ford’s 2023 Must Be the Country album is his first full-length studio project in three years. Stacked with 24 tracks, the collection includes features from Tracy Lawrence, Brantley Gilbert, Sam Grow, Tracy Byrd, Dillon Carmichael, and more.
Ford is currently in the midst of his Must Be the Country North American tour in support of his new album. The trek, which kicked off in April, includes stops in Nashville, Flagstaff, Virginia Beach, Chico, and more before wrapping up on Sept. 23 in Garnett, KS. For a full list of touring dates from Ford, check out his official website here.
