Ozzy Osbourne had been having his heart monitored “15 times a day” in the weeks before his death and had also spoken about his health in some of his last interviews
In the weeks leading up to his final performance, Ozzy Osbourne was reportedly having his heart monitored “15 times a day”. The cause of Ozzy’s death has not been confirmed, but it is understood that there were concerns about his health, particularly his heart, in recent months.
The singer had shared that he was exercising in an attempt to be fit enough to perform at his Back To The Beginning show. To ensure nothing went wrong, he wore a device to regularly measure his pulse and check he wasn’t overexerting himself.
During his Sirius XM show at the end of May, Ozzy revealed: “F***ing hell. I am constantly in training seven days a week. I have got this guy who’s virtually living with me and I am in bed by 7pm.
“I used to have to take a handful of f***ing sleeping pills. Now I don’t take anything. I am having my blood pressure taken 15 times a day. I’ve got this f***ing device on my finger. It’s a monitor to say how my heart rate is.”
In the same interview, he joked that he may not be destined for heaven. He quipped: “I’m just taking it one day at a time. Ask him upstairs. In my case, the one below,”, reports the Mirror.
Ozzy also took the opportunity to pay tribute to his wife Sharon. He expressed gratitude to “brilliant” Sharon for devising the farewell concept for his recent show, which turned out to be his final performance and his last major public appearance.
“She worked her a** to get this moving,” he said of the Villa Park event, which fans adored.
Speaking in the same month to the Guardian, Ozzy also discussed his health following numerous illnesses and accidents over the years.
He also battled Parkinson’s disease in his latter years.
“How many surgeries have I had?” he said. “I’ve got more f***ing metal in me than a scrap merchants.”
Regarding his training, he added: “I do weights, bike riding, I’ve got a guy living at my house who’s working with me.
“It’s tough – I’ve been laid up for such a long time.
“I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength.
“It’s like starting all over again.
“I’ve got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going. I have problems walking. I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs.
“I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time.
“I may be sitting down, but the point is I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.”
Tragically he passed away less than three weeks after the Back To The Beginning concert, which he had confirmed would be his final performance.
“It’s time for me to spend some time with my grandkids,” he told the Guardian.
“I don’t want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.”
In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Ozzy also reflected on his own mortality. “I’ve done a lot for a simple working-class guy. I made a lot of people smile,” he said.
“I guarantee that if I was to die tonight, tomorrow it would be, ‘Ozzy Osbourne, the man who bit the head off a bat, died in his hotel room…. But l’ve got no complaints. At least I’ll be remembered.”
