Carly Simon describes first symptoms that led to ‘frightening’ Parkinson’s disease diagnosis — Page Six

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

See more of our coverage in your search results.

Add Page Six on Google Carly Simon shared exactly how her Parkinson's disease "problems began" in her vulnerable announcement Monday.

The "You're So Vain" hitmaker told Page Six in a statement that her first symptom was "arthritis in both knees and one hip."

She explained, "I eventually had all three joints replaced, out with the old and in with delicate bouquets of metal and plastic. After three replacement surgeries, I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process."

However, the singer's "mobility continued to worsen."

The 83-year-old wrote, "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."

Simon "eventually" needed "considerable help" to walk — and was diagnosed with the progressive brain disorder, which affects movement and balance, "after an extensive evaluation."

She has since started "taking medication to help with stiffness and other symptoms."

While giving the health update in a lengthy statement Monday, Simon also shared her skin cancer struggles.

"During this same period, I was also treated for basal cell carcinoma on my face," she wrote. "The cancer was removed, but the surgery affected my appearance."

This led Simon to "withdraw from public view," with the Grammy winner dubbing herself an "all-season bear" in hibernation.

She worked on new music instead — and will release "Comes in Waves," her first full-length album since 2008, in August.

The musician clarified that she is "still writing, singing, imagining, laughing, worrying, remembering, and occasionally getting trapped in an overstuffed chair."

She added, "I do not consider Parkinson’s a gift or a blessing. It is neither. It is difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening. I am still learning how to live with it and how to accept it without feeling that I have surrendered something essential."

Simon has two children — daughter Sally, 52, and son Ben, 49 — with ex-husband James Taylor.

Your voice matters. Discussions are moderated for civility. Read our guidelines here

Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space.

In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience.

Your post will/might be rejected if it contains:

User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice:

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!

Carly Simon describes first symptoms that led to ‘frightening’ Parkinson’s disease diagnosis — Page Six | AIPROPX