Neil Diamond Opens Up About Life Since Parkinson’s Diagnosis, Says He Has ‘To Make The Best Of It’

Neil Diamond has opened up about how he has been feeling since his 2018 Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis in a new interview.

When asked about how it has been since he was advised to “give up” touring, the 82-year-old singer admitted that “I still haven’t given it up, yet. It’s very hard.”

“In a sense, I was in denial for the first year or two. When the doctor told me what it was, I was just not ready to accept it. I said, ‘Oh, okay. I’ll see you, you know, whenever you wanna see me. But I have work to do, so I’ll see you later,’” Diamond told CBS Sunday Morning.

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The ”Sweet Caroline” singer went on to explain that accepting his diagnosis has been a longer process than expected. “I’m still doing it. And I don’t like it,” he said. “Okay, so this is the hand that God’s given me, and I have to make the best of it, and so I am.”

Diamond revealed that “in the last few weeks,” however, “a calm has moved in, and the hurricane of my life, and things have gotten very quiet, as quiet as this recording studio. And, I like it. I find that I like myself better. I’m easier on people. I’m easier on myself. And the beat goes on, and it will go on long after I’m gone.”

“I can still sing,” he added. “I like singing. I’ve been doing it for 50 years, and I enjoy it.” He went on to explain how singing makes him feel good and that “all the systems in my mind and my body are working as one when I’m singing. And it’s a great feeling.”

Diamond admitted that while he is grateful for the “pretty amazing life” he has had, he still was not “always able to look back on it and be comfortable with it, smile, feel that I was worth it. I think all of that good stuff is starting to come into my life.”

While the legendary singer-songwriter announced his immediate retirement following his diagnosis, he has made a few appearances for the musical A Beautiful Noise, which opened on Broadway last December and is based on Diamond’s life and music.

“I can’t really fight this thing, so I had to accept it, this Parkinson’s Disease. There’s no cure. There’s no getting away from it. You can’t just say, ‘Okay, enough already. Let’s get back to life.’ It doesn’t work like that. But I’ve come to accept what limitations I have, and still have great days.”

“I just have to take life as it comes to me, enjoy it, be thankful that I’ve had it, especially having the life that I’ve had,” he said.