Master Fencer Out-Duels Chronic Pain, Even as His Hurt Persists
After a freak event, Jim Ferrone comes to terms with his new life
March 8, 2009, was a long day for Jim Ferrone — and one that would permanently change his life.
The 50-year-old resident of Flemington, New Jersey, was in “fantastic shape,” he says. After taking several weeks recovering from elbow surgery, he was at his college weight, ate healthy foods, and didn’t smoke or drink, not even caffeine. As an A-rated epee fencer (the top skill rating) and coach, Ferrone spent that day organizing and competing in a tournament. “I did okay, 10th place,” he recalls in an interview for my forthcoming book, Hurt Feelings: Inside the Emotions of Living in Chronic Pain.
He was so exhausted that when he got home about 5 p.m. he collapsed on his living room carpet. His dog, Shiloh, jumped on his chest and started licking his face, something the 9-pound Chihuahua/Italian greyhound mix had never done.
Ferrone remembers: “I turned my head sharply to the right to avoid him and felt a crunch in the back of my neck. After a heartbeat, my head exploded in pain.”
Ferrone struggled to get the dog off him and laid there for five minutes before going upstairs to get some Tylenol. When he tried to go back down, he…
