The Wisdom of Common Sense
Early on in my paralyzed life, I developed a problem wound/ulcer on the most obvious place in the world, the coccyx or tailbone. I began to visit a Japanese wound care specialist who had just arrived in the US and was a man of few English words. He’d examine the wound, frown, and say, “No pressure.” I’d say it was really hard to stay off my tailbone day and night and wasn’t there another way to heal the wound? He’d take a deep sigh and repeat, “No pressure.” “But what about a skin toughener or skin regeneration dressing or maybe skin flap surgery?” He’d shake his head and say, “Please listen, Mr. Rucker. No pressure.” I came to really dislike the guy.
Of course, he was 100% right, and I was merely looking for a magic bullet to make the damn thing go away. It took me many such wounds to face up to the simple fact that in most cases, the principal way to cure pressure sores was to eliminate the pressure. It didn’t take a genius to figure this out, and there was no quicker fix – get off and stay off your freaking tailbone! Why did it take me so long to act on this obvious solution?
Because it was too simple. It made common sense.
This became a pattern for many of my paralysis-related medical hassles over the years. Why was I so tired all the time? The bedtime blue iPhone light and inebriants aside, the simplest explanation was that I wasn’t getting enough daily exercise to offset all the hours of sitting. Working out without overdoing it doesn’t tire you out. It gives you more energy, more stamina, and more brain-calming endorphins. And for those who are capable, would it kill you to walk thirty minutes a day? That’s thirty minutes. You won’t be staring at your phone, mindlessly doomscrolling.
I love reading university-based medical newsletters – many of which are about “aging gracefully” – to learn about new research that might improve my life. But, just as often, they publish long articles with impressive statistics telling you what common sense has long made abundantly clear.
In the most recent UCLA newsletter, “Healthy Years,” for instance, they had an expansive two-page spread about muscle exercises, or resistance training, for any age in any physical condition. The basic idea has been with most of us since the third grade: if you exercise your muscles, you get stronger. Getting stronger, we all know, is a good thing. This article simply expands on how good.
“Resistance training burns fat, increases muscle mass, supports functional independence, improves cardiac health…boosts mental health and cognitive function, helps fight diabetes and infections, promotes better sleep, improves balance and speeds recovery after injuries and surgery.”
Join Our Movement
What started as an idea has become a national movement. With your support, we can influence policy and inspire lasting change.
Become an Advocate
I italicized those areas particularly applicable to paralytics, or at least to this paralytic. The authors add the usual caveats: start slow with superlight weights, consult a PT if you are a rank beginner, work out consistently. “Typically, you will notice the effects of training within one month,” says one expert.
Of course, common sense measures like taking pressure off pressure sores and building up muscle mass can’t solve the whole complex of problems associated with paralysis. But looking back on some of my most serious medical emergencies, I can see how simply they could have been avoided. Within a few weeks of leaving the hospital for the first time, I had a pulmonary embolism (clogged lungs) that was genuinely life-threatening. Why? I stopped taking blood thinners, on my own volition. Later on, I had a frightening attack of multiple TIA’s, or temporary strokes. The problem: a buildup of plaque in my left carotid artery. A simple, periodic checkup I kept putting off could have averted this hellish experience.
I’m left with the question: why did I procrastinate taking common-sense measures to improve my health? That’s a bigger, thornier subject for another time.