Last week was about the three As (awareness, acceptance and agency)—i.e., the process I use to help patients understand their health ecosystem, take charge of their medical narrative, and gain agency over their health.
This week’s Q&A is a grab bag—so submit your questions about anything right here!
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Last week I saw a normally upbeat man in his 80s for a pre-operative assessment before his hip surgery. A former athlete, he is no stranger to injuries, orthopedic procedures, and pain. But this time was different.
I feel like I’m falling apart, he told me.
Up to this point, he explained to me, he viewed every knee, shoulder and back injury as an obvious consequence of his athleticism. Much like taking his vintage car to the shop, a new hubcap or tail light had always made sense to him. This time, he said, I just feel old. It feels like the beginning of the end.
It turns out that our physical container is more than a collection of bones and muscles; it’s the infrastructure for our life and livelihood.
It’s easy to take mobility and the absence of pain for granted—that is, until we are sidelined. Whether we’re nursing an arthritic hip or an osteoporosis-related fracture, even temporary immobility can alter our physical and mental health. It can threaten our sense of self.
When our physical selves fail us, who are we then?
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My friend Greg Galleazzi MD is living proof that we are more than our physical containers—and that post-traumatic growth is possible. In 2011, Greg was deployed in Afghanistan when his platoon was hit by an IED during a regular foot patrol—causing him to lose both of his legs and most of his right arm.
In honor of Memorial Day, I am sharing our conversation about the moment he lost his limbs, the emotional toll of physical trauma, and his grueling recovery process.
On this episode of Beyond the Prescription, Greg helps us rethink what it means to be healthy after unimaginable loss. Last spring, on the 11th anniversary of his injury, Greg graduated from Harvard Medical School and began his career as a doctor serving people with physical disabilities and injuries like his own.
I hope you find his story as powerful as I do.
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Disclaimer: The views expressed here are entirely my own. They do not reflect those of my employer, nor are they a substitute for advice from your personal physician.