WIFE OF ASTRONAUT REVEALS SIDE EFFECT HER HUSBAND IS SUFFERING FROM AFTER RETURNING TO EARTH
One of the negative effects Butch Wilmore, a NASA astronaut who was stuck in space for more than nine months, has been experiencing after returning to Earth has been disclosed by his wife. Following a mission that was only expected to last eight days, Butch and Sunni finally returned to Earth last week after spending over a year on the International Space Station.
Even though the astronauts were required to exercise for two hours every day, doctors have already cautioned that the two will have a lengthy road to recovery because of the probable loss of bone density and muscle mass they have endured. Butch was able to return home to his wife Deanna and his two girls after completing the rigorous medical testing in NASA hospitals. Although the 62-year-old appears to be content to rest at the moment, he hopes to attend his daughter's graduation next month.
"Barry admits that at the moment, gravity is not on his side. His wife, Deanna, stated, "They need to rest and relax a lot because they're just not strong yet, and you know the stamina is not there." When the family was reunited with Barry, Wilmore's wife also talked candidly, stating that there was "not a lot of talking, just a lot of hugging and savoring the moment." Daryn, the 19-year-old daughter of the couple, also posted on social media that her father is "doing good, it's difficult, but he's a trooper." Both astronauts must complete two hours of physical exercise with specialized trainers as part of a 45-day reconditioning program, according to NASA.
Astrophysicist Alan Duffy of Swinburne University explained to The Guardian the effects of a persistent absence of gravity on the human body. He wrote: "A major and irreversible decrease of bone density results from the absence of gravity. Your arms, legs, trunk, and other muscles waste as a result, as does your heart, which has to work much less hard because it isn't forced to pump blood against gravity. Additionally, fluids from the astronaut's body accumulate in their cranium, causing what Duffy called a "continuous cold"-like sensation.
Although it's encouraging that both were able to walk again less than 24 hours after splashdown, the radiation they were subjected to may have permanently damaged their DNA. In a twin experiment, it was discovered that some genes had been irreversibly altered, but the twin sent into space recovered most of the damage within six months. However, they can also anticipate being invited to the White House by President Donald Trump in addition to their 45-day program.