Parkinson's and Me

What does Parkinson's feel like? I am not an expert on Parkinson's in any way. Nor do I have any great insights to the disease or coping strategies. My approach to the disease over the last few years has been to survive the best I can, to stay as "normal" as I could, to hope for a slow progression, and to surround myself with people I love and care about. For four plus years that approach has pretty much worked for me, but lately things have been getting a little more complicated. One late night last week I found myself stranded on the bedroom floor (I won't go into the stupid decisions and actions that got me there).  Toni, my patient angel of a wife, and I struggled for over half  an hour to try to find some way of getting up short of calling 911. I was experiencing significant pain in both my hips that prevented me from turning or bending.  Toni formulated a plan of attack and we eventually (and painfully) worked it out, but the experience frightened both o...

PARKINSON'S AND ME Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. September 26  - My Parkinson’s. It is strange, I think, that we would call an illness “my disease.” My Parkinson’s for example. It makes sense that I view “my” illness with a type of ownership. This is probably more true with Parkinson’s than it is with other serious ailments. Patients are told early on that their journey with Parkinson’s can be significantly different than the journey others with the same disease experience. I am sitting at the computer writing these thoughts at 4:13 AM on a Friday morning. The Parkinson’s woke me up. For me, this seems to happen a few times a month, or at least so far it has been limited to those few times. To others with the disease disturbed sleep is a significant issue. Parkinson’s can look different from person to person and symptoms can change dramatically over time. My Parkinson’s today looks very different that i...