Michael Klim detailed his crippling symptoms after being diagnosed with CIDP, an autoimmune disorder. Check out what happened to him.
Michael klim : Cidp | What happened to | How old is
Klim was born in Gdynia, Poland. He was educated at the University High School, Melbourne and Wesley College, Melbourne where he was later employed as the college’s elite head coach of swimming.
He began swimming after falling out of a window, when it was suggested to him that a low impact exercise would aid his recovery.
Klim was Australian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year in 1998 and 1999 and was inducted into the AIS ‘ Best of the Best‘ in 2001 and he was the only Australian to win a gold medal at both the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Michael klim Cidp
Australian Olympic swimmer Michael Klim is opening up about his recent health struggles in hopes of raising awareness for others in similar situations.
On Sunday, the athlete, 44, revealed in a blog post that more than two years ago he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).
CIDP is a neurological disorder that causes progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Klim said his symptoms mainly impact his legs and feet.
“In recent years I have neglected my health and wasn’t honest with myself about the signs and symptoms my body was telling me,” Klim wrote. “I have been dealing with chronic ankle problems and degenerative back issues for quite some time. Initially it was just the odd cramp or pain in my joints, but over time my symptoms started to progress.”
He said that his health “spiraled out of control” and that he started experiencing severe muscle weakness in his legs that left him “unable to stand properly.”
“My health began to deteriorate drastically,” Klim said, noting that he eventually needed the help of his partner Michelle Owen and his three children Stella, 16, Frankie, 11 and Rocco, 14 — whom he shares with his ex-wife Lindy Rama — to get around as the “pain became unbearable.”
Klim revealed that he was also in denial about his condition and struggling to accept the severity of his symptoms.
What happened to
Klim admitted that although he has “always been an outspoken advocate” of a healthy work-life balance, he previously “neglected my health and wasn’t honest with myself about the signs and symptoms my body was telling me.”
“I have been dealing with chronic ankle problems and degenerative back issues for quite some time,” he said. “Initially it was just the odd cramp or pain in my joints, but over time my symptoms started to progress.”
Klim explained that what began as his thighs appearing thinner than usual turned into a tingling sensation on his feet.
“As time passed I started to feel a little bit unbalanced whilst I was making sudden movements. Before I knew it, 2 years had flown by and what started as a creep had rapidly spiralled [sic] out of control,” Klim said. He soon after started to experience significant leg weakness that left him “unable to stand properly.”
He added, “My health began to deteriorate drastically—my strength, my athleticism—was being taken away from me and I couldn’t do anything to stop it!”
As his health continued to deteriorate, the retired Olympian said that he was forced to rely on the help of his partner Michelle Owen and his three children Stella, 16, Frankie, 11 and Rocco, 14—whom he shares with his ex-wife Lindy Rama—to get around.
How old is
As of 2022, He is currently 45 years old.
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