Let’s start off by saying the “Piano Man” is doing well after a recent brain surgery.
In case you hadn’t heard, Billy was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and it was making him feel unstable on his feet.
He said, “I noticed that my balance was not good,” Joel said. “I had this sense of being on a boat, like this rocking motion. I wasn’t steady on my feet. I didn’t know why that was and I went to meet with the neurologist, and I was diagnosed with having something called normal pressure hydrocephalus, which they used to call water on the brain.”
Billy was advised that the condition could get worse if left untreated, so his medical team suggested, and this is a direct quote, “drill a hole through your skull” and “stick a shunt inside your brain.”
At first, Billy said he passed on the medical treatment his doctor advised. However, after learning that the NPH could affect memory, concentration, and movement, he decided to proceed with the treatment.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Billy said, “I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory.” Billy added, “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles. It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain.”
The good news is, Billy said his health condition has improved after the procedure. He said, “My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better.”
Billy wanted to make sure he reassured fans with this statement: “I know people have heard, ‘Oh, he’s got a brain disorder,’ and I’m okay,” he said. “I just want people to know, don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’m still here.”
