Ozzy Osbourne has opened up about his ongoing health problems as he was honored with the icon award by Rolling Stone UK.
The 74-year-old rocker, who had to send his wife Sharon to accept the award on his behalf during Thursday’s ceremony in London, told the publication that recent back surgery has left him “practically crippled.”
Ozzy, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, said doctors found a tumor in his spine during a fourth surgery on his back after a fall in 2019.
Narrative magazine: ‘It really touched me. The second operation went dramatically wrong and left me virtually crippled.’
‘I thought I would be able to start again after the second and third, but during the last one they stuck a rod in my spine. They found a tumor in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all of that out too. It’s pretty heavy, man, and my balance is all messed up.”
Ill health: Ozzy Osbourne, 74, has opened up about his ongoing health problems as he was honored with Rolling Stone UK’s icon award
Unwell: The rocker told the publication that recent back surgery has left him ‘practically crippled’ (pictured earlier this month)
The Prince of Darkness also said he has ‘ten tears’ left to live as he recalled disagreeing with his wife over smoking cannabis.
‘(Sharon) said, ‘What are you doing that for! It’ll fucking kill you!’ I said, “How long do you want me to live?!”‘.
Then I say, ‘Best case scenario, I still have ten years left and when you’re older, time goes by faster. Sharon and I recently celebrated 41 years of marriage, which I think is incredible!’.
Sharon, who shares three children with the star, described her husband’s numerous surgeries as “five years of grief.”
“I felt so helpless and so bad for Ozzy, watching him go through the pain. He had all these operations and it all felt like a nightmare.”
She continued, “He hasn’t lost his sense of humor, but I look at my husband and he’s here while everyone else is on the road. This is the longest time he has not worked. Being home for so long has been so strange to him.’
Ozzy also explained his disappointment at not being able to perform one last performance for his fans after having to cancel his tour earlier this year.
“That’s one of the things I’m most pissed off about: I never got a chance to say goodbye or thank you.”
Under the knife: TOzzy, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, said doctors found a tumor in his spine during a fourth surgery on his back after a fall in 2019
Big night: Wife Sharon proudly accepted the Icon trophy of honor for her ailing husband at the Rolling Stone UK Awards at Camden Roundhouse in London on Thursday
Candid: He said: ‘(The operation) really shocked me. The second operation went dramatically wrong and left me virtually crippled.”
Biggest Supporter: Ozzy’s wife, whom he tied the knot with in 1982, was by his side during his health struggles (the couple spotted in Beverly Hills in January 2020)
What an honor: Ozzy graced the cover of the music magazine and posed for a stylish shoot
Before adding, “That’s my goal to work towards. To do those shows. I just want to be good enough to do one show where I can say: Hello guys, thank you so much for my life.”
“That’s what I’m working towards, and if I drop dead at the end, I’ll die a happy man.”
Last year he underwent “life-changing” surgery to remove and realign a series of pins in his neck and back following a 2003 quad bike accident.
In September, Ozzy revealed on his family’s podcast, The Osbournes Podcast, that he had another surgery lined up, bringing his total number of procedures since his 2019 fall to four.
He said, ‘My lower back is, I’m going for an epidural soon because what’s happening, what they’ve discovered is that the neck has been repaired, under the neck there are two vertebrae where the bike hit me and fell apart, there’s nothing left theirs,’
Talent:Daniel Kaluuya was awarded the Film Award for his directorial and screenplay debut, The Kitchen
Pose: He joined Ozzy and posed for a very stylish shoot
Style: Daniel radiated coolness on the magazine cover
His son Jack Osbourne asked, “Do they fuse disks?”
Ozzy explained that he “didn’t know” what the medical professionals were going to do, but said, “All I know right now is that I’m in a lot of pain, I’m in a lot of discomfort.”
Ozzy recently said he’s “struggling through his health issues” and recently had a filter removed from his vein.
Earlier this year the threat of blood clots affecting his major organs was reduced, with him admitting he was desperate to ‘get on with his life’.
On his Ozzy Speaks SiriusXM channel, he said, “I’m fighting through it, like last Monday, I went to have a filter removed.
When I had the blood clots in my legs, they placed a filter in your vein to prevent the blood clots from going to your heart and brain. It sounds worse than it is. So on Monday I went to have it removed.
“The blood clots have you all stuck. It’s just disappointment after disappointment. Get this thing done so I can get on with my life.
Ozzy admitted he is in “constant pain” and added: “I feel like a man with one leg in a kicking ass match. The only thing that keeps me going is making records. But I can’t do that forever.
Big night: Maisie Peters won the Breakthrough Award, supported by Volvo, to mark an incredible year for the singer
What a year: the 23-year-old scored a number one album with The Good Witch, as well as a performance on the Glastonbury Pyramid stage and a sold-out performance at Wembley Arena
Sensational: Maisie looked stunning as she posed for numerous photos
Glam: The singer showed off her toned pins in a chic PVC mini
‘I have to get out of there. I’m still in constant pain. I’m doing my best to stay off the pain medication.’
The health update was his first since canceling his performance at California’s Power Trip Festival in October, which would have been his first appearance in five years.
Announcing the “painful” decision earlier this month, he said in a statement: “As painful as this is, I have had to make the decision to stop performing on Power Trip in October.
“My original plan was to be back on stage in the summer of 2024, and when the offer to do this show came through, I moved forward with optimism.
‘Unfortunately my body is telling me I’m just not ready yet and I’m way too proud that the first show I’m doing in almost five years is half a ****.
‘The band that will replace me on Power Trip will be announced soon. They are personal friends of mine and I can promise you will not be disappointed.
‘Above all, I would like to thank my fans, my band and my crew for their unconditional loyalty and continued support.
‘I love you all and I’ll see you again soon. God bless, Ozzy.”