Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1508233
Health Matters: Providence Saint John's Health Center | 7 I t was his passion for ice skating that eventually saved his life. Mike Cruz had a fear of doctors and for nearly a decade ignored a worsening limp. It wasn't until the 62-year-old no longer could perform even simple moves or jumps on the ice that he pushed past his fear. "I had to start using a shopping cart at the grocery store to help keep me stable," says Cruz. "But the final straw was when I could only perform basic moves on the ice. I knew I had to overcome my fear of doctors and get help." Mustering that courage was the San Fernando Valley resident's first step on a lifesaving journey. A NEW HIP ON THE HORIZON His first appointment was with an orthopedic surgeon on the Westside, but he waited for hours to see the doctor and decided it wasn't a good fit. Cruz had heard about Andrew Yun, MD, at Providence Saint John's Health Center, and tried again. "His whole practice is meticulously well oiled. Everyone is friendly, kind, professional and organized. Dr. Yun spent time with me and allowed me to share my story and my concerns," says Cruz. "He listened to me, and I relaxed because I knew he cared. He informed me of the medical risks associated with surgery and educated me on the multiple protocols his team has to minimize those risks. The fact that he has performed thousands of these surgeries made my decision to move forward an easy one." As Cruz later learned, celebrities all around the world fly in to be treated by Dr. Yun. "He truly is invested in your well- being and is the best surgeon, with excellent outcomes," adds Cruz. "In the long run, that is most important." Cruz was anxious to get the surgery done. However, his pre-op appointment showed his blood pressure was dangerously high (238/100). He was in hypertensive crisis, a condition that's a precursor to a stroke. Both his father and his grandfather had died from strokes. A friend referred him to an internist in the San Fernando Valley who prescribed blood pressure medication and monitored him daily. Cruz went on a low-sodium diet, which was difficult for someone who loves to cook as much as he does. But when he was younger, he had taken cooking classes with Jacques Pépin and Julia Child, and those lessons gave him the skill to make delicious food without using salt. "After tinkering with my medication over the course of a couple weeks, my blood pressure was controlled and I was feeling pretty good," says Cruz. SOUL SKATING When it was finally time to get his hip replacement, the experience couldn't have been better. "The staff at Saint John's was just fantastic. They were personable and engaged. I'm an empathic person and could tell everyone was happy to be there, doing a job they wanted to do and interested in providing the best care," says Cruz. "Every nurse and tech were great. The man who cleaned my room was wonderful. When you are in a place of vulnerability, you can relax and know you don't have to be on guard. They are there to take care of you and happy to do that." Today, Cruz feels more alive than ever and is back on the ice doing what he loves. He has his sights set on going to Nashville in October to compete in the 2023 International Skating Union (ISU) Adult Figure Skating Competition's artistic program, which doesn't require jumps. His long- term goal is to get back to jumping and participate next April in a free-skating technical program at the 2024 U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships, in Cleveland. "Skating feeds my soul," says Cruz. "I love the glide, making shapes with my body to the music and expressing myself through movement, integrating my entire personality into one thing." He encourages everyone to see a primary care doctor on a regular basis. "If my hip hadn't gone bad, I never would have known I had such high blood pressure and likely would have had a stroke and possibly died the same way my father and grandfather did. I got lucky and dodged a bullet," Cruz says. A Life on Thin Ice Passionate about figure skating, Mike Cruz is back on the ice after a limp uncovered a hidden health issue that could have cost him his life. Tameka Jacobs Photography gettyimages-1403182301-