“Duck Dynasty” alum Phil Robertson gives the invocation prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 9, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Originally appeared on E! Online
Phil Robertson’s health has taken a downward turn.
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The "Duck Dynasty" alum is in the “early stages” of Alzheimer’s disease, according to his son, Jase Robertson, who described the 78-year-old’s various ailments.
“According to the doctors, they’re sure that he has some sort of blood disease that’s causing all kinds of problems,” Jase Robertson shared on the Dec. 6 episode of the "Unashamed with the Robertson Family" podcast. “It’s accelerated and it’s causing problems with his entire body.”
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The reality star — who appeared with his family on the duck-hunting reality series from 2012 to 2017 — noted that his dad’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis has complicated his health, adding, “He’s just not doing well. He’s really struggling.”
In fact, Jase Robertson said that Phil Robertson — who shares adult children Jase, Willie Robertson, Jep Robertson and Alan Robertson with wife Kay Robertson, as well as daughter Phyllis Thomas from a past affair — wants to return to his regular activities, but his condition presents both physical and mental hurdles.
“He keeps saying, ‘I’m gonna get back to the podcast,’” Jase Robertson recounted. “But I’m like, ‘Well Phil, you can barely walk around without crying out in pain, and your memory is not what it once was.’ He’s like, ‘Tell me about it.’ So he is literally unable to — I think he would agree — to just sit down and have a conversation.”
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But despite the terminal nature of Alzheimer’s disease — a brain disorder that leads to memory loss — Jase Robertson said the family is focusing on how to help their patriarch through his health battle.
“We’re trying to do a lot of things to figure out how to make him more comfortable, and maybe help with his memory,” he went on. “We’ve got a team of doctors and they’re all in agreement that there’s no curing what he has. And so, what do you do? We’re trying to make him a little more comfortable.”
