“Doc, it’s not fair”. Since nothing is “fair ” about cancer, I wonder what Jody’s issue will be on this visit. ” You tell me my scans and bloodwork are good, I’ve been off chemo and my hair is coming back, but now I have a new problem”. Jody pulls up her pant leg to show the very swollen right knee. “I couldn’t work thru covid, then thru chemo and now I need a knee replacement”.
What Jody is experiencing is all too common, mostly because the confluence of crippling arthritis arrives at the age for highest risk for cancer. I understand the disappointment and I saw plenty of it this week. Mike isn’t even worried about his recovery from head and neck cancer, he is upset that he needs a trigger finger injection which he says is “yaowzah!” Betty is 87, fell and broke her hip. Since family is far, she had to go to inpatient rehab. “Never again Doc!” Mona was well aware of the admonishments to avoid arm edema. Imagine my surprise when she arrived with a cast from finger to upper arm, also from a fall. “Well, Doc you did say no blood pressure on this side!” she quips. At least ten patients this week had back pain, none of it from cancer and Charlie is being treated for hip mets but a trip in the shower led to broken ribs.
What is going on? All of this flopping around leads to one message today. Be extra careful. It’s not the cancer or an accident or sometimes even aging. Falls take a terrible toll for seniors and disrupt evenything else you are doing. In 2024, 14 million adults in the US will suffer a fall…. one in four. It’s not even unusual any more. Take no movement for granted. The shower is the worst, but any stairs (so many sprains and fractures from those pesky curbs). You cannot afford an injury. Your aches and pains from arthritis can lead to fractures, and medications can make us wobbly. So what’s an aging body to do? Get into a program for physical therapy, especially after treatment for cancer- everyone’s body has changed, sometimes dramatically, leaving you feeling unwell even when the cancer is gone. I prescribe PT for deconditioning often and it can get you back to a full life quickly. Balance training should be a part of the treatment as well. (Ah those pesky balance balls!)
Falls and injuries are debilitating not just for your body. They zap your energy and outlook. Protect yourself and recognize that your strength isn’t just about grunting it through cancer therapy. Slow down. Pay attention to where your feet are “headed”. Have situational awareness and most of all, work at getting strong so you can side step or recover quickly. We are not kids anymore who can pop right back up after a tumble. Some patients come in already on narcotics for chronic pain and have never had a PT evaluation. You don’t have to have a knee replacement to get it. Take control of your own safety. Let’s not recover from cancer or illness to find ourselves sidelined. Stay strong, live safely. ‘Nuf said.