Michael J Fox: ‘Every step now is a frigging math problem, so I take it slow’: ohnotheydidnt

Michael J Fox: ‘Every step now is a frigging math problem, so I take it slow’

Michael J Fox: ‘Every step now is a frigging math problem, so I take it slow’ https://t.co/pIEutwf2gC
— Guardian Science (@guardianscience) November 21, 2020

Michael J. Fox recently sat down for an interview with The Guardian (via video chat) to talk about his life and career. A few major points:

He is now 59 years old, which is considered to be the average age for a Parkinson's diagnosis. He has been living with the disease for 30 years.

He had to undergo surgery in 2018 to remove a tumour on his spine, which was actually unrelated to Parkinson's. One day, when he was alone at home, he fell over and smashed his upper arm so badly it required 19 screws. The recovery from the surgery was extremely traumatic because Parkinson's made it difficult for his fragile spinal cord to cope with the aftermath, and he fell into a depression: “There is no way to put a shine on my circumstance,” [...] “Have I oversold optimism as a panacea, commodified hope? In telling other patients, ‘Chin up! It will be OK’, did I look to them to validate my optimism? Is it because I needed to validate it myself? Things don’t always turn out. Sometimes things turn shitty. My optimism is suddenly finite.”

He says: “You don’t die from Parkinson’s, but you do die with it.” He can no longer perform basic functions, such as playing his guitar, writing or typing. In fact, he had to dictate his latest book to his assistant.

On Trump mocking New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has a disability. “When you see your particular group mocked, it’s such a gut punch. It’s so senseless and cheap. There’s no way I get up in the morning and mock orange people."

He felt "uniquely prepared" for lockdown: “All the virtual meetings and keeping 5ft away from people? I do that anyway." On his mother's 90th birthday, he was scared of knocking her over because his sense of balance was getting worse.

On the future: “Some of those changes are hard. But as limited as I am in some regards, if you’d told me when I was diagnosed that I’d have this life now and do the things that I do, I’d have said, ‘I’ll take it.’ I can move around – it takes some planning, but I can move. I can think, I can communicate and I can express affection. What else do you want?”

Source

His new book is called "No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality". The interview is long but worth reading.

jaequeeragenda

November 21 2020, 16:50:29 UTC 4 months ago

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Well then ima buy his book, love ya Marty 💛💛

I still remember his episode on scrubs it was impactful

lady_rosier

November 21 2020, 21:00:49 UTC 4 months ago

Yeah, I have his book on my wish list. Probably will be the first biography I'll ever read.

j___adore

November 23 2020, 19:56:41 UTC 4 months ago

what happens on the episode? is it about parkinson's?

November 23 2020, 22:10:22 UTC 4 months ago Edited: November 23 2020, 22:16:09 UTC

Mmm I believe he actually had major ocd but was a brilliant surgeon and one scene is he is in a cycle of washing his hands hours after a surgery when all the major characters try to confront him bout their own shortcomings that his brilliance made them aware of but they all back off when they witness he has his own obstacles to deal with outside their egos 😬 twas a great guest appearance!

Edit: oh wait! He might have been flipping a light on and off instead of the hand washing I just saw a reddit thread that brought it up lol it could be either one he was in 2 episode I think 😂

4 months ago

madamezuzu

November 21 2020, 16:52:40 UTC 4 months ago

here to say his character on the good wife was one of my favorite recurring characters.

syphilisdiller

November 21 2020, 17:20:47 UTC 4 months ago

loved him on that- and he was just on WWHL and he named that character along with marty mcfly and alex keaton as his favorites to play

hotel

November 22 2020, 18:46:06 UTC 4 months ago

Yes! Loved to hate him, LOL. That show could be so good when it wanted to.

galactoze

November 21 2020, 16:58:01 UTC 4 months ago

It's incredible that he had the strength the last 30 years. Amazing

ohwutevernvm

November 21 2020, 17:02:33 UTC 4 months ago

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

saintlys

November 21 2020, 17:19:40 UTC 4 months ago

I'm pleasantly surprised to see him question the toxic positivity that pervades conversations about disability and how he contributed to that

tinurix

November 21 2020, 17:20:19 UTC 4 months ago

I love him so much. I'm glad he's always been so outspoken about his condition.

georgeslymaniv

November 21 2020, 17:21:37 UTC 4 months ago

I can't imagine not being able to type. That's my whole livelihood and entertainment right there.

senshicalico

November 22 2020, 00:38:45 UTC 4 months ago

same, but it's also another reason I'm trying to get back into dictation software. Gotta take care of my wrists/hands and sometimes it feels good to just lie down and still be able to use the computer. Even write while lying down! It does take some getting used to, though. Like when i'm writing fiction, I still have to dictate all of the punctuation. It was originally developed for people with disabilities but tbh I recommend it to just about everyone, lol.

artemisofluna

November 22 2020, 03:57:12 UTC 4 months ago

I have essential tremor (same as Kate Hepburn had) and before I was medicated I couldn't type and it was AWFUL.

filmstudent23

November 21 2020, 17:25:39 UTC 4 months ago

Oohh, I'm still in love with him. I remember crushing on him so hard while watching Back to the Future. I'll definitely buy his new book 😍😍😍💕

mary_pickforded

November 21 2020, 19:08:43 UTC 4 months ago

He still looks great. It's amazing considering the pain and inconvenience he goes through everyday.

teenxwolf

November 22 2020, 13:44:17 UTC 4 months ago

same lol i love confident short men

allmylines

November 21 2020, 17:34:47 UTC 4 months ago

There’s no way I get up in the morning and mock orange people.

nnnn this took me out!!! i love him so so so much and am definitely gonna be buying his book. <3 back to the future was such a huge part of my childhood.

valhalley

November 21 2020, 17:42:47 UTC 4 months ago

I LOST it right there, scared my cats lmao

November 21 2020, 17:52:38 UTC 4 months ago

i was not expecting it!!! the guffaw i let out 😂

yousaidlog

November 21 2020, 17:35:58 UTC 4 months ago

He's the fucking best

steph_monster

November 21 2020, 17:36:13 UTC 4 months ago

God I love Michael J. Fox

A few months ago, I fell into a MJF YouTube hole. Time well spent.

rhcp

November 21 2020, 17:43:21 UTC 4 months ago

i love him so much. just listened to him on marc marons podcast, will definitely be getting his book.

goldenhera

November 21 2020, 17:44:57 UTC 4 months ago Edited: November 21 2020, 17:45:58 UTC

I still remember how gross Rush Limbaugh was about MJF's diagnosis. He has been so open, positive, and honest about having Parkinson's. I really admire that and wish him and his family well.

xdaisyxlovesxbb

November 21 2020, 17:59:50 UTC 4 months ago

I like that he is not sugarcoating it bc that shit is hard and he has to live through it everyday.

Fortunately rush limbaugh has stage 4 lung cancer and will probably die before mjf will.

November 21 2020, 18:03:41 UTC 4 months ago

Yeah, I see where he has been critical of his own outward optimism and that level of introspection is admirable. Every interview I've watched where he has talked about living with Parkinson's, he's been pretty honest that things get hard.

Fuck Rush Limbaugh. I hope he suffers.