Discovering in my late 50s that I have some dead cerebellum; could it be the source of my excessive earworms? And what does Billy Squier have to do with it?
Wow that’s scary but I’m glad you got the thorough checkup and have been given a clean bill of health.
I had a heart attack scare in 2020 in that the emergency department (at the time) and the cardiologist (on reviewing the EKG after the fact) thought that I’d had a heart attack. That was in August. Over the course of the following four months I had a battery of tests and heard just before Christmas from the cardiologist that he’d fed all of my test results into some sort of algorithm that generates my 10-year cardiac risk score. The result was 1.5% (chance of a heart attack in the next ten years) which he said was statistically as good as zero, meaning I could stop the daily baby aspirin and prescribed statin. A stressful time but so glad I went through the thorough testing regimen and got the clean bill of health.
I’m so happy you’ve ended up in the same place of good health. Long may it continue.
That sounds eerily similar to what my mom experienced when I was in high school. We thought she had a heart attack, they treated her as if she did and then, years later, after a bunch more tests, they said that there was no signs of a heart attack. I don't recall what they said happened to her instead though. I assume the statin was for cholesterol, which I was borderline recommended too as my cholesterol is just over 200, but I've gotten it down 30 points in the past 8 months (It was 238 in January) with diet and exercise.
This was all a bit surreal, not just because of the uncertainty around what is/was going on with me, but because I have been healthy my entire life. I have never been admitted to a hospital in almost 58 years. All my injuries and procedures have been same day. I just knocked on 100 pieces of wood.
Glad to hear you got this checked out Steve and that you're in good health. Something like this happened with my brother Mike. He also has no memory of having a stroke either. There's a lot of strange stuff going on around our brains, huh?!
Lots of weird stuff! I thought it was just a wacky imagination but apparently it’s physical/biological too. Has your brother had any symptoms of a stroke or other changes?
Seems like we're kindred spirits, Steve. I'm still feeling the effects of my stroke less than a month ago. Luckily, I'm on the road to recovery. I hope and wish the best for you. -- Jim
So glad you had a great and thorough medical experience! I absolutely love your sense of humor!
I probably would have conjured up the same song 😂 I love the deep dive and explanation that it wasn’t a song about sex!
For some reason, while singing this song, my mind drew up the video for Rock Me Tonight! Which is so overly sexual it’s hilarious! I’m pretty sure it was someone’s Substack that led me to the video at some point in the past several months… https://youtu.be/fR0j7sModCI?si=jAfILa-4vTHllnxt
OMG that video is so notorious! I heard a podcast discussing it not too long ago. I didn’t realize it essentially derailed Billy’s career. Kenny Ortega, the director, defends it and says Billy chose all the wardrobe. I’ll try and find it and share it with you.
:) Hang in there. The Cerebellum is overrated. It's blobby. On a serious note, I'm glad you got a thorough check-up. I want your stories and earworms for many centuries to come. Is that too much to hope for? Like 200 years?
Thanks - if I had to rank the brain parts in terms of importance, cerebellum would probably be at the bottom, so if I had to have a non-functional part of it, I'm grateful it's that part! I've never fit the mold for anything my entire life, so it makes sense that I would confound the neurology team. I'll keep doing this for 200 years if you promise to leave comments the whole time. I'm hoping the part of my brain that died isn't the part that can psychically leave notes in 100 years. I'm betting my carpal tunnel will be much worse then.
You're on. I will keep on leaving comments on your notes and posts for infinity.
This is a beautiful post, Steve - full of your signature, relatable, vulnerable life moments share, masterfully making mortality a little less scary with your humor and rooting it all in the therapeutic elements of music. Also, come on, THE STROKES!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knU9gRUWCno
Here's to youth, hipsters, Family Feud, and the CW (those haircuts!)!
I know, I know. If I was making a list of stroke songs (and bands) they would be at the top, but my earworms tend to lean '80s.
And you couldn't have known this, but my family tried out for Family Feud when I was I think 17 or 18. We made it to the 3rd round but ultimately didn't get picked. I'll have to write about that story in a future post!
I love the scarecrow
Wow that’s scary but I’m glad you got the thorough checkup and have been given a clean bill of health.
I had a heart attack scare in 2020 in that the emergency department (at the time) and the cardiologist (on reviewing the EKG after the fact) thought that I’d had a heart attack. That was in August. Over the course of the following four months I had a battery of tests and heard just before Christmas from the cardiologist that he’d fed all of my test results into some sort of algorithm that generates my 10-year cardiac risk score. The result was 1.5% (chance of a heart attack in the next ten years) which he said was statistically as good as zero, meaning I could stop the daily baby aspirin and prescribed statin. A stressful time but so glad I went through the thorough testing regimen and got the clean bill of health.
I’m so happy you’ve ended up in the same place of good health. Long may it continue.
That sounds eerily similar to what my mom experienced when I was in high school. We thought she had a heart attack, they treated her as if she did and then, years later, after a bunch more tests, they said that there was no signs of a heart attack. I don't recall what they said happened to her instead though. I assume the statin was for cholesterol, which I was borderline recommended too as my cholesterol is just over 200, but I've gotten it down 30 points in the past 8 months (It was 238 in January) with diet and exercise.
This was all a bit surreal, not just because of the uncertainty around what is/was going on with me, but because I have been healthy my entire life. I have never been admitted to a hospital in almost 58 years. All my injuries and procedures have been same day. I just knocked on 100 pieces of wood.
Scary. Sometimes that fickle finger of fate pokes us in the face. Stay healthy, Steve. Enjoyed the story!
Glad to hear you got this checked out Steve and that you're in good health. Something like this happened with my brother Mike. He also has no memory of having a stroke either. There's a lot of strange stuff going on around our brains, huh?!
Lots of weird stuff! I thought it was just a wacky imagination but apparently it’s physical/biological too. Has your brother had any symptoms of a stroke or other changes?
Seems like we're kindred spirits, Steve. I'm still feeling the effects of my stroke less than a month ago. Luckily, I'm on the road to recovery. I hope and wish the best for you. -- Jim
I thought of you as I was writing this. Glad you are recovering well. Hopefully you have people around to help you as you need it.
Wow, Steve; that's wild -- so glad it seems that you're OK!!
Sorry to hear about this, Steve, but really glad you’re OK!! Also, is this a good time to talk about that money you owe me from several years ago?
The check’s in the mail!
So glad you had a great and thorough medical experience! I absolutely love your sense of humor!
I probably would have conjured up the same song 😂 I love the deep dive and explanation that it wasn’t a song about sex!
For some reason, while singing this song, my mind drew up the video for Rock Me Tonight! Which is so overly sexual it’s hilarious! I’m pretty sure it was someone’s Substack that led me to the video at some point in the past several months… https://youtu.be/fR0j7sModCI?si=jAfILa-4vTHllnxt
OMG that video is so notorious! I heard a podcast discussing it not too long ago. I didn’t realize it essentially derailed Billy’s career. Kenny Ortega, the director, defends it and says Billy chose all the wardrobe. I’ll try and find it and share it with you.
For sure!
Well, that was quite a ride! So glad you're okay, and grateful for the Billy Squier earworm... as long as it doesn't eat any of my brain.
Pretty sure it’s only contagious if you watch the “Rock Me Tonite” music video. See Kristin’s comment for video link…;)
Now I guess I'll have to tell 'em
That I got no cerebellum
Gonna get my Ph.D.
I'm a teenage lobotomy
Your side hustle crop dusting!?
Maybe it was DDT!
:) Hang in there. The Cerebellum is overrated. It's blobby. On a serious note, I'm glad you got a thorough check-up. I want your stories and earworms for many centuries to come. Is that too much to hope for? Like 200 years?
Thanks - if I had to rank the brain parts in terms of importance, cerebellum would probably be at the bottom, so if I had to have a non-functional part of it, I'm grateful it's that part! I've never fit the mold for anything my entire life, so it makes sense that I would confound the neurology team. I'll keep doing this for 200 years if you promise to leave comments the whole time. I'm hoping the part of my brain that died isn't the part that can psychically leave notes in 100 years. I'm betting my carpal tunnel will be much worse then.
You're on. I will keep on leaving comments on your notes and posts for infinity.
This is a beautiful post, Steve - full of your signature, relatable, vulnerable life moments share, masterfully making mortality a little less scary with your humor and rooting it all in the therapeutic elements of music. Also, come on, THE STROKES!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knU9gRUWCno
Here's to youth, hipsters, Family Feud, and the CW (those haircuts!)!
I know, I know. If I was making a list of stroke songs (and bands) they would be at the top, but my earworms tend to lean '80s.
And you couldn't have known this, but my family tried out for Family Feud when I was I think 17 or 18. We made it to the 3rd round but ultimately didn't get picked. I'll have to write about that story in a future post!