A FEW THINGS that are POSITIVE about Parkinson's

   
  When I was diagnosed with Parkinson's, all I could think about were the terrible things that were happening  and could happen to me physically. If there was any choice in the matter, I certainly would choose NOT to have PD.  Today I  am trying to focus on the positive because God knows there are plenty of things that are negative that stare me in the face everyday!
  On a positive note, Parkinson's is not deadly for me now. I know that people can have difficulty swallowing and choke but I don't have that, at least for now. I can still live my life fairly normally on meds.  I can still drive and socialize.  Most people don't know I have PD when I am seated or sometimes even walking on a good day! You find out who your true friends are and all of my friends stayed loyal!! I am not a HUGE imposition on my husband. He just has to help me get out of chairs sometimes, especially camping chairs.  Parkinson's doesn't show on my face. I don't have huge welts or anything like that! I am glad that I have it and it isn't one of my adult children with it.  I don't have tremors, maybe I will eventually get them, but at least for now, I don't have them.  I can still dress myself even if it is a bit difficult. I can still shower by myself with the aid of shower bars and a shower chair.  I can cook and clean my house.  I can go shopping but I am not a big shopper!  So, if any of my readers have anything POSITIVE to add, please do so!!

Comments

  1. TapanAugust 20, 2019 at 3:38 AM

    Good to hear the positive notes. Well, the first time I realized that I was not sure of my steps, at times I wasn't able to lift my legs. I was alone in the house and being a patient of high blood pressure, I thought I've had a stroke. A friend came to visit me for some work, I asked him to take me to a nearby doctor. The doctor did not think it was stroke. So, next thing I did was purchasing a train ticket online and again requesting the friend to put me on a train, I boarded an overnight train for a bigger city. Once in the train, I handed over a slip with my sister's phone number requesting him to use it in case I couldn't get up the next morning. Once in the bigger city I met a neurologist who knew that I was diabetic and got some NCV tests done - the result was zero and she said that I had acute diabetic neuropathy.
    My walks had become irregular I was dragging my left feet not able to walk straight - staggering. Not able to maintain a steady pace - at times almost running or at other times slowing down. While driving a two wheeler I was leaning backwards, while driving a car I was leaning sideways ( to my left) - here cars are right hand drive. Was having severe dizziness at times while trying to reverse the car. Voice was fading away.
    This continued for about a year. I had to go to another large city for a family gathering after more than a year. At the family gathering my niece, a neurologist, noticed that my arms were not swinging as I walked, said I should take medicines. She told my family that this was PD. I googled the name of the nedicii and realized what my treatment was for. A few weeks later I visited one of the large metropolitan cities and walked into a large Government run hospital which soecislizes in neurological disorders. They confirmed the medicine and the doseage that my niece had prescribed snd also showed me some exercises.

    I have seen PD patients with constant twitching of muscles, constant shaking, inability in speaking, etc. In comparison to them, I am much better. I thank God for it.

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    Replies
    1. cmfAugust 20, 2019 at 10:49 AM

      Hi Tapan, Thanks for sharing! Like you, I think I had PD for almost a year before I was diagnosed, I had severe sciatica and still have it and I attributed all of my symptoms to my sciatica. I was also told that I don't swing my arms when I walk but I don't think I ever did. I have watched a lot of people walking at the mall, park, etc and not all of them swing their arms!!

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