Hey there, friends. You’ve probably heard of Michael J. Fox, right? The iconic star of “Back to the Future” and “Family Ties.” Well, it turns out that while he’s been living with Parkinson’s Disease for more than two decades, he’s also been dealing with a whole host of other health issues. And guess what? He recently opened up about them in a candid interview with the New York Times. So, let’s dive into his story, shall we?
Facing the Challenges of Spinal Surgery
Now, let me tell you, this guy has been through quite the journey. At 57, Michael was dealing with a recurring problem involving his spinal cord. It all came to a head last April when he had to undergo spinal surgery to correct the issue. “I was told it was benign, but if it stayed static, I’d have diminished feeling in my legs and difficulty moving,” he explained. And if that wasn’t enough, he started falling—a lot. “It was getting ridiculous,” he admitted. “I was trying to figure out what was the Parkinson’s and what was the spinal thing. But it got to the point where surgery was probably necessary. So, I had surgery, and an intense amount of physical therapy afterward.”
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Dealing with Arm Fractures and Life Lessons
But wait, there’s more. Michael revealed that his arm also had its fair share of trouble. Last August, he took a misstep in his kitchen. “I went down,” he recounted. “I fractured the hell out of my arm. I ended up getting 19 pins and a plate. It was such a blow.” Despite the setbacks, Michael has been reflecting on these experiences. “The more unexpected something is, the more there is to learn from it,” he said. “In my case, what made me skip down the hallway to the kitchen thinking I was fine when I’d been in a wheelchair six months earlier? It’s because I had certain optimistic expectations of myself, and I’d had results to bear out those expectations, but I’d had failures too. And I hadn’t given the failures equal weight.”
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Remaining Active in the Fight Against Parkinson’s
Despite these health challenges, Michael hasn’t let them slow him down in his mission to find a cure for Parkinson’s. “I still believe in a cure,” he said with determination. “For so long, Sinemet L-dopa was the gold standard. That was all we had, and it gave relief but only lasted a certain amount of time and led to dyskinesias and other side-effects. So, finding better treatments was crucial.”
He went on to explain, “There’s a new drug that’s been approved that acts like a rescue inhaler for when you freeze. Freezing is a very real thing for Parkinson’s patients. I could be sitting here with my foot on fire and a glass of water over there on the table and all I’d be able to do is think about how good it would feel to pour that water on my foot. Treatments for that can make a huge difference in people’s lives.”
And here’s the kicker: “Now, if we can prophylactically keep Parkinson’s symptoms from developing in a person, is that a cure? No. Would I take it? Yes.”
The Support of Family
Michael has a solid support system in his family. He’s been married to actress Tracy Pollan since 1988, and together they have four children: Sam, 29, Aquinnah and Schuyler, both 24, and Esmé, 17. His family has been by his side every step of the way, offering love and encouragement.
