Former Bachelorette Star J.P. Rosenbaum Diagnosed with Rare Guillain-Barré Syndrome
J.P. Rosenbaum is facing a terrifying rare disorder.
On Sunday, the Bachelorette alum announced on Instagram that he had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system.
“It’s very surreal and humbling,” J.P., 42, said, in a series of Instagram Story clips from the hospital. “I just can’t really believe it.”
Guillain-Barré is a rare condition that affects about one in 100,000 people a year.
The syndrome’s impact can vary from person to person, either causing a mild weakness in the body or a “devastating” paralysis, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Symptoms usually begin with a tingling in the legs or hands, and progress to weakness in both sides of the body that increases in intensity as hours or days go by.
J.P. — who shares son Fordham Rhys, 5, and daughter Essex Reese, 3, with Bachelorette bride Ashley Herbert Rosenbaum — didn’t describe his symptoms in detail, but did paint a picture of the effects it would have on his life.
“Things you do every day … picking up this phone, buttoning buttons, tying shoelaces, putting on deodorant … [you] just can’t do it,” he said. “Picking up my kids? Can’t do it. Wiping your ass? That may be T.M.I., but I might have Ashley assist on the next one.”
He went on to say that it appeared his symptoms had steadied, but that doctors would be monitoring him over the next few days.
“I feel pretty much the same as I have all day, which I think is a good sign,” he explained. “From what I’m, told, my symptoms have hopefully plateaued and not gotten any worse, then hopefully I’m on the road to recovery.”
“I’ve heard from a lot of people and I know that things can get a lot, lot worse, and so — knock on wood — hopefully that is not the case for me,” J.P. continued. “Hopefully I’m fortunate enough where we caught it early enough, to start a treatment early enough where we can now start recovery. But I will know more tomorrow once I speak with the doctor.”
The reality star also told his followers that he was receiving treatment and that there would be “a lot of physical therapy in my future.”
He finished his Instagram Story late on Sunday night by thanking his followers for their “advice, guidance, support, and love.”
“It’s super heartwarming,” J.P. said, thanking “not just friends and family but just total strangers who have offered to share their story and offered their phone number to call to talk to about” the condition. “It’s just really nice, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“I’ve come this far, I will certainly keep everybody posted on my progression,” J.P. concluded. “Hopefully I wake up tomorrow and the symptoms are again, no worse; hopefully better, at the very least the same. I’ll keep everyone updated on when I can get out of here and start getting back to some normalcy. Love you guys, thanks.”
Ashley posted about her husband’s condition too, saying on her own Instagram Story that her husband was “doing well.”
“It may be a long road to full recovery, but we are so grateful to everyone that has helped us get to a speedy diagnosis and treatment,” she wrote.
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