"What I learned is that as you get older your mind may know exactly what to do, but your body won't act out the commands you give it," Button said in an e-mail. His mistake, he said, was to try a difficult jump when he hadn't skated in a while and hadn't practised smaller, easier ones first.
Since Button was the first skater to land the double axel in competition, in the 1948 Olympics, I'll take his word for it on jumps. But I wasn't aiming for fancy jumps - just exercise.
I have a nervous system disorder that's vastly improved by physical activity, and have been a gym regular for years. Family members have osteoporosis, which weight-bearing exercise helps stave off. So despite the concussion, I have to keep moving.
At first, even using the stationary bicycle was a woozy experience. That improved. But the world still spins sometimes. And occasionally I have a feeling of remoteness, as if I'm not fully present.
My doctor says not to skate until the symptoms go away. I didn't tell him I'd skated a few weeks after my accident, to overcome my fear. I wore a helmet and didn't fall. It was probably foolish; sustaining a second brain injury before the first one heals risks widespread damage.
But mine is a rebellious generation. And ice skating makes me smile.
The weightless gliding, carnival atmosphere, hokey Elton John songs, laughing kids - it all comes close to one of those uplifting peak experiences so many boomers avidly sought in their youth.
I'm no longer young, and pursuing peak experiences is no longer my top priority. But millions of people skate, and I'm convinced it can be done safely.
"When you're older and take up a sport you need good equipment and good supervision," said Peggy Fleming, the 1968 Olympic women's figure skating champion now active in exercise and bone health issues.
It may take more time and work to learn the skills, but the rewards are worth it.
"You just feel so much more alive, more confident about yourself. You get into a whole different energy level, and that applies to the rest of your life as well," Fleming said.
That's it exactly. And I'm going back to skating. After the spinning stops.
