In order to continue telling like it is about having Parkinson's Disease, I have to update readers of this blog, if there are any, on something that I don't want to sound whiney about. It's not Parkinson's related but it affects my ability in the short term to fight PD. As you may recall, or maybe not, I manage PD by trying to keep my muscles in condition so that I can get them to respond when PD is telling them to ignore my commands. By forcing muscles and the nerve paths that send the commands to and from my brain and muscles to do what I tell them, I have built new paths and muscles.
So far, it's working. The nerve paths and muscles must maintain their strength because I give them no choice. I exercise vigorously at least five days a week, but often seven days straight, for an average of 45 to 60 minutes, but often for 75 to 90 minutes. After 15 years of PD, I'm still able to do most activities expected of someone my age who has the benefit of their complete health. Without this program of mind over matter and never giving in, I would probably be immobilized in front of a TV.
But my exercise is being threatened by a knee that is described as bone on bone. I tried to convince myself, and a couple of Hospital for Special Surgery doctors that it was just a partial tear of ligaments or some floating cartiledge. You know, no big deal. It turns out to be no such luck.
So in 3 weeks I will enjoy the view overlooking the East River (which is not a river) for a couple of days and nights while the good doctors at HSS install a brand new shiney piece of metal and plastic and try to convince me that it is a knee. According to the docs, its long overdue. I blew it out playing football for a little engineering college in New England (WPI). So you do the math. That's 50 years of snow and water skiing, some long board surfing in California, some wind surfing in NJ, about 50 - 10K's a half marathon, a full marathon and hundreds of hours playing tennis, squash, racquet ball and golf. All of this on a knee with no cartilege and no ACL.
The old knee belongs in a museum and owes me nothing. I'll miss it just the same. I don't plan to miss any exercise. We'll see.
Cherry blossoms in Forest Hills, New York City.
So far, it's working. The nerve paths and muscles must maintain their strength because I give them no choice. I exercise vigorously at least five days a week, but often seven days straight, for an average of 45 to 60 minutes, but often for 75 to 90 minutes. After 15 years of PD, I'm still able to do most activities expected of someone my age who has the benefit of their complete health. Without this program of mind over matter and never giving in, I would probably be immobilized in front of a TV.
But my exercise is being threatened by a knee that is described as bone on bone. I tried to convince myself, and a couple of Hospital for Special Surgery doctors that it was just a partial tear of ligaments or some floating cartiledge. You know, no big deal. It turns out to be no such luck.
So in 3 weeks I will enjoy the view overlooking the East River (which is not a river) for a couple of days and nights while the good doctors at HSS install a brand new shiney piece of metal and plastic and try to convince me that it is a knee. According to the docs, its long overdue. I blew it out playing football for a little engineering college in New England (WPI). So you do the math. That's 50 years of snow and water skiing, some long board surfing in California, some wind surfing in NJ, about 50 - 10K's a half marathon, a full marathon and hundreds of hours playing tennis, squash, racquet ball and golf. All of this on a knee with no cartilege and no ACL.
The old knee belongs in a museum and owes me nothing. I'll miss it just the same. I don't plan to miss any exercise. We'll see.
Cherry blossoms in Forest Hills, New York City.
