Carly Simon has revealed she has been living with Parkinson's disease and cancer. The 'You're So Vain' singer said she has purposely stayed out of the public eye in recent years as she learned to cope with the disorder. She also announced that she underwent surgery for basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, after her Parkinson's diagnosis.
Statement to People
In a statement to People, Simon said: "So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson's disease. It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly. Parkinson’s is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable. Some days I’m so tired I can’t get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself."
Journey to Diagnosis
Simon said her problems began with arthritis in both knees and one hip. She had all three joints replaced, but the recovery process was far from straightforward and her mobility issues worsened. "I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy. Once seated, I could feel as though I had been swallowed by the chair and might remain there permanently, like a guest who had badly overstayed her welcome. Eventually, there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help. My family and I knew that something more was going on. After an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's," she said.
Living with Parkinson's
Simon said she is taking medication to help with symptoms, but the effects of the disease are still unpredictable. "Parkinson’s is usually associated with movement, tremors, and balance, but it can affect much more than the body. It can bring anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and apathy. The apathy is particularly strange. You can find yourself lying there like a starfish drying in the sun, arms pointing in all directions, while nothing inside is telling you to get up, read, watch, write, sing, call someone, or do much of anything at all. That has been one of the hardest things to explain. It is not simply sadness or laziness. It is as though the part of the brain that sends out invitations to participate in life has temporarily misplaced the guest list," she said.
