Rick Springfield just learned he has brain damage from 25-year-old fall: 'I thought I had just broken my wrist'
Whether it's good news or not, Rick Springfield wants to be well-informed about his health.
The "Jessie's Girl" singer, who is turning 76 this year, says he prefers having "bad news" to no news — an apt perspective, considering he recently made a startling discovery after getting a full body MRI scan. During a conversation with PEOPLE, Springfield revealed he recently learned that he sustained brain damage from a spill he took at a Las Vegas concert back in 2000.
"I fell 25 feet, hit my head, and then wood came down and hit my head, and then my head hit the stage again," he shared, explaining that the recent body scan uncovered some lingering effects from the incident. "I thought I had just broken my wrist, but on the scan, I found out I have some brain damage from the fall, so I'm working on trying to repair that."
Related: Johnny Knoxville's kids were scared after his Jackass Forever brain injury: 'Dad's not gonna do that anymore'
Though some people prefer not to know what's going on with their bodies — including the musician's late father — he feels differently.
"My dad died from not wanting to know. He thought he had stomach cancer for years and never got it checked out," Springfield said. "When he finally collapsed one day at home, they found out it was an ulcer that burst, and he died from the loss of blood. It could have been fixed if he had gotten it checked out."
He continued, "That was a giant message to me: If you want to live long, you have to be prepared for some bad news now and then. I could find out I have terminal cancer tomorrow and be dead in a year, but I can only do all I can do."
Thus far, Springfield feels that his approach to health has served him well. Despite being halfway through his seventh decade, the singer still feels like he's in his 20s.
"Then I see people dying from old age and disease and go, 'Wow, I'm the same age as old people,'" he joked.
Related: Rick Springfield almost said no to Meryl Streep and Ricki and the Flash
Now, the "Affair of the Heart" singer takes special care to protect his body, exercising every day and cutting down his alcohol consumption.
"I was drinking quite a bit, and as you get older, it's kind of a natural thing to drop all that s---," he said. "I'm not [in] AA — I mean, I know a lot of people it's worked for. I'll have a couple of sips of vodka or something when I'm onstage, but I don't drink any other time."
The change also had an impact on his mental health. Springfield, who's been battling depression since he was a kid, admitted that drinking less had a positive impact. He additionally experimented with ketamine and LSD treatments and found some success with the latter.
"I did acid, and that was actually a little better. I hadn't done that since I was in my 20s, but it was a great high," he told the outlet. "I don't mean to push drugs on anyone, but I'm not averse to anything that helps me be happier and a better person. I could use some help in that area. I'm always searching."
Related: Rick Springfield helps give 'Jessie's Girl' murderous sequel in Coheed and Cambria music video
He also pushed back against the idea that "wisdom comes with age," calling the saying "bulls---." He explained, "Wisdom comes with digging and looking at yourself. It doesn't automatically come."
The '80s icon released Big Hits: Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits, Volume 2 in December, featuring such tracks as "I'll Make You Happy," "What's Victoria's Secret?," "Wide Awake," and "The Man That Never Was."
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
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