If Roger did indeed suffer from a stroke, the health issues he mentioned in his letter can include any of them. Other health problems that can occur after a stroke can include weakness, problems with balance and coordination, pain, numbness, tingling sensations, fatigue, urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, and more. This looks like limping, so it is possible that the limping and other health issues were caused by a stroke. They may end up dragging or shuffling their feet. People with foot drop find it difficult to raise the front parts of their feet because of weakness or lack of control of the muscles necessary for that action.Īs such, these people often have difficulty clearing their entire foot from the ground. It can also lead to some people losing control over some of their muscles altogether.Īs such, it is possible that Roger suffered a stroke and that this is what caused him to limp.Ī common symptom that is often suffered after a stroke is something called foot drop. As people get older, they are at a greater risk of experiencing a stroke.Ī stroke can lead to weakness or stiffness in muscles and joints. Then there is the possibility of a stroke. Pain in the thighs, which can lead to limping, can be linked to health conditions that also increase the risk for a heart attack. It can affect balance, motion, and muscle movement.īecause of this, some people thought that the fact Roger had difficulty walking meant that he had Parkinson’s disease.Ī heart attack can also lead to other health problems. Parkinons’s disease is a neurological disease that slowly progresses. Others figured that he must have suffered from a heart attack. Some people went even further and speculated that it might have been Parkinson’s disease that caused the limping. Others argued that it was probably a leg problem. Some people surmised that he had a back or spine problem that was causing him to limp. However, that did not stop people from speculating. What’s Going On?Īs you can see, Roger didn’t exactly address which illnesses he has been facing in particular in this letter. His break would allow him to spend more time recuperating and taking care of his health, and it would also give him more time to spend with his family. He told his fans not to worry, as they would see other landscaping experts on the show. He finished off by saying that he was in good hands and that he truly appreciated his fans’ appreciation of him. Roger asked that everyone respect his and his family’s privacy and added that he was grateful for everyone’s support. There are a variety of health issues he has been facing, he said, but he would continue to appear occasionally on the program. His limp was evidence of that.īecause of his health issues, Roger continued, he decided to reduce his time on the program. He continued by saying that many of his viewers have probably noticed that his health has been deteriorating. He added that he felt that the personal friendships and relationships he managed to create during his time on the program have greatly enhanced his life. Roger started off by saying that he was extremely proud of being part of the This Old House program for over 35 years. Finally, Roger addressed these speculations in a letter published in This Old House magazine. Others speculated that there were more serious issues involved. Some people speculated that since he graduated from college in 1977, he must be old, and that there wasn’t much more to it than that. There has been a lot of speculation about the cause of this limping.Īt first, neither PBS nor Roger himself said anything that could add some clarity to the situation. On his latest appearance on the PBS show This Old House, Roger was been This Old House collaborated with Sunset Books to create a book called Complete Landscaping, which Roger contributed to. He also appeared in some spin-off shows, such as Inside This Old House and Ask This Old House. However, in 1988, he was promoted to a full-time landscape and gardening contractor. This was the same year that he founded his landscaping company with his wife.Īt first, he only contributed to some of the projects featured on the show. Roger first appeared on the PBS program This Old House in 1982. She was 56 years old and suffered from gastric cancer. His late wife, Kathleen, passed away in 2010. He currently lives in Burlington, Massachusetts, and has two children. He was also the President of the Board of Directors of New England Grows and the Association of Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts. Roger founded the K & R Tree and Landscape Company with his wife, who has since passed away. He is a member of the Massachusetts Arborist Association. He studied wildlife management and conservation law. Roger Cook graduated from the University of Maine in 1977. 10 Roger Cook Illness Summary Roger Cook Biography