Wow! Time got away me. What's that saying? Time flies when you are having fun? Yeah, right.
To update my blog readers, should there be any, my knee replacement surgery went according to plan with only one night at Hospital for Special Surgery. I was warned that it might be three nights because my Parkinson's disease might slow down or complicate my recovery. But I compensated for the PD by over-exercising for almost a month my legs and upper body to account for the weakness PD would attack with. So I was in decent shape (for someone 72) when I showed up at 5:30 AM for surgery at HSS on May 21. By the end of the next day, I was home. And no-one at HSS even mentioned Parkinson's because it didn't affect me at all. It is now four weeks since the surgery and after 2 weeks of home physical therapy three times a week, I am doing outpatient PT near my home in Forest Hills, NY. Comment from my physical therapist: You don't seem like you have Parkinson's at all, never mind having it for fifteen years. Believe me, I know I have Parkinson's. It affects every movement and every breath, but I continue to stay on top of this disease by exercising aggressively as much as I can. That, plus trying to get enough sleep and keeping up to date with my Parkinson's expert doctors and medications at Columbia University Hospital keeps me in a health condition that probably beats most 72 year-olds. It is certainly better than that a lot of younger people with truly scary health problems. And for this I am grateful.
Getting the knee replaced was a no brainer. It had gotten to the point that I was hindered with exercise and even just getting around. Not getting it done would have been giving up. I still have at least a couple of months of seriously hard work to recover my strength and agility, or get as much recovery as possible. But if you or someone you know is ever faced with a knee replacement decision, I would be happy to tell you whatever you want to know about my experience.
I'm looking forward to an active summer with family and friends that I have been missing. If you fall into that little group, I will see you soon!
Oh, I forgot to mention that having a passion for something is extremely important in anyone's world. It focuses your energy away from your health and provides reasons to connect with people. For me, it's photography. All this time devoted to a lousy knee has taken time from my photography. But it's still my passion. Here is proof. Don't be confused. It's a reflection in a puddle taken just before the surgery.
To update my blog readers, should there be any, my knee replacement surgery went according to plan with only one night at Hospital for Special Surgery. I was warned that it might be three nights because my Parkinson's disease might slow down or complicate my recovery. But I compensated for the PD by over-exercising for almost a month my legs and upper body to account for the weakness PD would attack with. So I was in decent shape (for someone 72) when I showed up at 5:30 AM for surgery at HSS on May 21. By the end of the next day, I was home. And no-one at HSS even mentioned Parkinson's because it didn't affect me at all. It is now four weeks since the surgery and after 2 weeks of home physical therapy three times a week, I am doing outpatient PT near my home in Forest Hills, NY. Comment from my physical therapist: You don't seem like you have Parkinson's at all, never mind having it for fifteen years. Believe me, I know I have Parkinson's. It affects every movement and every breath, but I continue to stay on top of this disease by exercising aggressively as much as I can. That, plus trying to get enough sleep and keeping up to date with my Parkinson's expert doctors and medications at Columbia University Hospital keeps me in a health condition that probably beats most 72 year-olds. It is certainly better than that a lot of younger people with truly scary health problems. And for this I am grateful.
Getting the knee replaced was a no brainer. It had gotten to the point that I was hindered with exercise and even just getting around. Not getting it done would have been giving up. I still have at least a couple of months of seriously hard work to recover my strength and agility, or get as much recovery as possible. But if you or someone you know is ever faced with a knee replacement decision, I would be happy to tell you whatever you want to know about my experience.
I'm looking forward to an active summer with family and friends that I have been missing. If you fall into that little group, I will see you soon!
Oh, I forgot to mention that having a passion for something is extremely important in anyone's world. It focuses your energy away from your health and provides reasons to connect with people. For me, it's photography. All this time devoted to a lousy knee has taken time from my photography. But it's still my passion. Here is proof. Don't be confused. It's a reflection in a puddle taken just before the surgery.
