Part two of Kit's letter to a cruise friend

[Kittrell Rushing]

The second part of a two-part letter

Friday, 12 December 2025 

Chattanooga

Kit’s Letter to Gretchen Continued

Actually, when I awoke in the surgery recovery room, I felt groggy, but I didn’t feel like I’d changed genders. That’s a joke. It would be a real challenge with our country’s and state’s current political divide.

Surgery aides wheeled me from recovery through corridors and an elevator to the floor where the hospital placed its surgery patients. They kept me there for four days. They took good care of me, good meals too. My dear Frances kept a close watch, only leaving the side of the bed to go home at night.

I didn’t experience much pain, but I knew that someone had done something to my head. The first day or so they didn’t want me to sit up, not move around that much. I learned how to use a wonderfully convenient plastic bottle.

Within four days they let me sit up, and they were walking me down and up the hospital hall. Amazing to me, I was walking. The shuffling had almost disappeared. The tremors eased dramatically. I could hold a cup. Importantly, too, I could control that convenient plastic bottle.

Fifteen weeks have passed since the surgery. I’m a different person. The tremor is almost imperceptible. The shuffling is gone. I hold my head up. I’ve decreased the daily dopamine from 12 to 15 tablets to three.

The neurologist says he still thinks I have Parkinson’s, but the disease us not nearly as advanced as we first believed. I’m supposed to exercise daily, exercises designed specifically to delay Parkinson’s progression. I still use a cane, but it’s more for stability than a real necessity. Frances doesn’t want me to drive, but I believe I can, should there be an opportunity. 

Dearest Frances and I thought we experienced our last cruise three years ago with that Viking Caribbean adventure. But we’ve just made reservations for next September’s Viking ocean cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia to Tokyo, Japan (North Pacific Passage). We are well aware that there is no guarantee that either of us will be able to cruise in September, but we know too that people our age should avoid buying green bananas.

I think I’ve dodged a bullet. I owe the apparent victory to my dear wife, to the neurosurgeon, and to the example you’ve set in dealing with Ray’s loss and now with the cancer diagnosis. You are a strong, brave woman.

Please keep us informed of your progress.

My love,

Kit

    

mailto:kitru...@mac.com

mailto:kitru...@gmail.com

mailto:kitru...@epbfi.com

+1 423 718 0955

117 Ridgeside Road

Chattanooga, TN 37411

[Christina Winter]

WOW! Kit, wonderful!

I would have to go back to part one to clearly understand the diagnosis. Would you mindd clarifying how the surgery was so effective? Tina

Christina S. Winter, Ed.D. 

christina...@gmail.com

919.868.0287

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[Margo Macdonald]

Kit.  Have you tried trekking poles? These poles are wonderful for people with Parkinson, arthritis and MS.  I recommend Black Diamond as they have a small spring in the stick part.  The best part of Trekkies is that they position the hand well on the stick and have a leather loop around your wrist if you lose the grip.  They also keep one upright.  Look up Walking Trekkie Poles.  There are videos for people with Parkinson.  I use them and can tell you that they make people smile.  Something you like to do.  Merry Christmas, Margo

[Paul Sisco]

Kit,

Your conclusion of your first letter was not that far-fetched. One of my Canadian Cisco cousins, now 76 years old, transitioned from Stuart to Sherine via an operation. And I’ve been following Hamilton, a Canadian born with two X chromosomes, who has been very successful in his transition the other way. He is a Canadian Mountie and qualified as a US paratrooper. I’ve attached a photo of him with his wife. I first saw him 12 years ago when he competed on the Canadian version of the TV show The Amazing Race. It’s too bad these folks (including the famous case of Bruce Jenner) are the latest whipping posts for intolerant people who seem to be lacking empathy.

And I wish you the best on your trans-Pacific cruise. Sounds very interesting. Ben and I are going to do a short cruise to the Bahamas over Xmas week. I’m very curious to see what % of the passengers will be Jewish. I know Jewish families who always take a Caribbean cruise at Xmas to avoid all the Gentile Hoopla.

Photo of Hamilton and his wife attached.

Paul

[Christina Winter]

Thanks Paul! Always enjoy your perspective! Tina 

Christina S. Winter, Ed.D. 

christina...@gmail.com

919.868.0287

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