Jeremih suffered organ failure, had to learn to walk again after battling COVID-19

After a coronavirus diagnosis, the singer developed multiple inflammatory syndrome, a rare and serious complication

R&B singer Jeremih had music fans concerned when it was announced that he was struggling with significant COVID-19 complications.

Read More: Jeremih speaks out for the first time after being released from the hospital

But now the “Birthday Sex” vocalist says he’s improving. He sat down with Chance the Rapper on Tuesday and told his peer and fellow Chicago native that he had to learn how to walk and eat again and doesn’t remember much of the ordeal.

“I had a tube down my throat for about a week and a half. I was really like in a dream, I woke up two times and all I remember seeing is a white light,” said Jeremih on Sway’s Universe per Vibe. He also says he had no idea how bad of shape he was in.

“I was really down bad for the last month and a half that I was in there,” he said about his time at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago. “I don’t even remember the day I went in there, that’s how messed up I was.”

The hospital wouldn’t even allow the 33-year-old’s mother to visit due to coronavirus restrictions, but Chance the Rapper intervened and she was finally allowed to see her son.

2019 Soul Train Awards - Show
Jeremih performs during the 2019 Soul Train Awards at the Orleans Arena on November 17, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

Jeremih says he developed multiple inflammatory syndrome, a rare complication of the disease.

“All my organs became inflamed. My heart started beating irregularly, my kidneys went out, my liver started to go bad. Mind you, I didn’t know what was going on at the time. I was out,” he told Chance.

He said before his ordeal, he had never stayed overnight in a hospital or even had a broken bone.

“Once I was removed from ICU after that week and a half I was going through recovery where I had to learn how to walk again, eat, all that stuff. Mind you, I’ve never been to a hospital in my entire life — not for a broken bone, not for nothing. So just to be in there, I look at it as a blessing. As crazy as it might sound, I needed to sit down. I needed to take a break.”

The down time encouraged him to reflect on his life.

“It’s been one long party,” he said, up until he became sick.

“I ain’t gon’ lie to you. A lot of things now I don’t take for granted. Sometimes you have to have a setback for the big payback.”

He says he sees life differently now.

Read More: Jeremih released from hospital after coronavirus battle

“Whatever I’ve done before now I’m going to do it to the 10th power because it’s a reason why I’m still here,” he said., “I got my voice again, learned how to walk again, now I gotta learn how to run and bust a move like [Chris Brown].”

Check out the interview below.

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