“Love Is Blind”'s Kwame Appiah Urges Fans to Take Their Health Seriously After Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis
"I didn't realize how important the normal things I did in my day were for me until I couldn't do them," said Appiah
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Kwame AppiahKwame Appiah is urging his fans to take their health seriously as he reveals his ulcerative colitis diagnosis.
The Love Is Blind season 4 alum gave a candid health update in an Instagram Reel on Thursday, Jan. 16, disclosing that his health journey began after he felt "a little bit sick" and "a little bit off" in November.
"I didn't take it too seriously," Appiah began. "And then next thing you know, we're about a month in. So here's why that month of waiting really hurt. Because by the time I actually got to the doctor in December, I was having fevers for about three weeks. I had lost 20 pounds."
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Appiah said his doctors determined his symptoms could be a result of many things, including cancer, before ultimately concluding that he had ulcerative colitis — something he said at the time he was experiencing "at its absolute worst."
According to the Mayo Clinic, ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in part of the digestive tract.
The disease can affect the colon and rectum and can weaken the body, leading to possible life-threatening complications. Possible symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, diarrhea, rectal bleeding and belly pain.
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Kwame Appiah attends a May 13, 2023 event in Los Angeles, CaliforniaAppiah's experience left him with three valuable lessons he wanted to share with his followers.
"One, just a quick reminder that life is incredibly precious. I didn't realize how important the normal things I did in my day were for me until I couldn't do them. Lesson number two, small things can lead to big problems if we ignore them. So don't," he said. "Lesson number three, information is everything. You have to know what it is if you are going to fight it."
The reality star ended his video by expressing gratitude "for the fact that I feel like myself again" and thanked his wife, Chelsea Griffin Appiah — whom he met on the Netflix dating show — and their friends for supporting him.
Kwame Appiah/Instagram
Kwame AppiahIn the caption, he added that he is working on changing his lifestyle and diet as he has gained a new perspective on his health.
"Happily accepting that responsibility, and encouraging everyone to stay ahead, so you don’t get too far behind," he wrote.
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Griffin Appiah shared his video on her Instagram Stories, adding, "I'm really proud of my husband for his vulnerability and sharing these important messages. ❤️ ILY Kwam."
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