POSITIVE with PARKINSONS

        On Sat., Dan and I left to pick up Olya and go to Dan's hometown. It was three and a half hours to get to Olya and then another two to get to Dan's hometown. I stopped at a Goodwill Store and got a few new Christmas plates for the cookie gifts that my friend Priscilla and I make!  After we picked up Olya, we first headed to visit Dan's cousin Dori.  Dan and Dori went to high school together. It was the first time I had been at this home of Dori's.  Dori's husband Gene was in the Military and they moved about 15 times!! We had fun chatting with them! My Parkinson's wasn't too bad. I took my meds as directed but I still had to do the two and three step shuffle!  I didn't need my walker and that is always a good thing!!         Then we headed to St. Marys.  The trees started changing colors and that part of the drive was beautiful to see! I had taken two Tylenol before we left because I am the driver. Dan drives way too aggressively for me. My le

                 Thursday I got up and just had a feeling that it was going to be a not so good day! I had to stretch and wiggle and toss and turn to get out of bed and my pain was there as soon as I opened my eyes!! I finally got out of bed after I struggled to get out from under the covers! I was exhausted just getting out of bed. That may sound crazy but it is really true.   I thought I was making progress the last few days but I am NOT!  My leg just throbbed and throbbed from Sciatica!  I had to use a walker all day long.  I hope this is just a minor set back not a major one.  I logically know that Parkinson's is a degenerative and progressive disease so I should expect what is happening to me. However, I keep fighting the symptoms and try to push through the set backs.  I hired some people to come and sweep and mop my basement floor. it took them a few  hours but it looks fabulous! If they work for me on the weekends they bring their son Kevin who is 7 years old!  I alw

             I am still trying to get use to this brand new world of Parkinson's. A really annoying part of Parkinson's is that I keep dropping things. They literally fall out of my hands and I don't know it is going to happen until it does! I watch it happening and can do nothing to stop it! It is like watching a reality show. I NEVER know when it is going to strike! It can happen many times a day or not happen for a few days.  It does seem to be happening more frequently than before.  I can be folding wash and the items just slide to the floor, I can be getting a drink of water and the cup falls to the floor. Fortunately I only drink water so when it happens I just have to clean it up. I have dropped bowls and dishes and cups. I try to only use plastic cups and paper plates because I don't want to break things.  I always drop my pills no matter how I try to pick them up and hold them. I drop hangers, clothes, food, cups, toothbrushes, etc.  If I really concentrate

         Today I got out of bed like a normal person. I usually have to try to pull myself up and turn and twist and get on my stomach and slide off my bed. BUT this morning, I just got up.  CRAZY!!! That has not happened in over a year and a half.  My sciatica hurt as I walked but it was definitely better than it has been!! I took a quick shower, I had to sit on my shower chair, and my balance seemed OK. I deluded myself into thinking I would keep improving all day.  After I showered and dressed, I started to clean out the garage, then I needed my walker. I just looked up and said.....Are You Messing with ME, Lord?  Then I thought that I should shut up, which I did, and just be thankful for the few hours reprieve I had this morning. It was so greatly appreciated! I cleaned a few more things out of the garage! It seems the "stuff" in our house is never ending!!         My daughter called me from work and said she didn't feel well so I told her that I would pick her u

        I have a lot of faithful blog readers! Thank you to everyone who reads and shares information. One of my blog readers has told me that he has HALTED the progression of Parkinson's by exercising vigorously everyday.  I would love to be able to do that except for my Sciatica!! The Sciatica pain prevents me form doing anything physical.  I use to go to the gym three times a week and walk on the treadmill but my sciatica is so painful that I know it would be worse if I tried going again. However,  my plan is to try to go to the gym tomorrow!!I have had PT in my home, about 35 sessions and I did the exercises everyday that the PT gave me for homework! She dismissed me from the program because my painful sciatica prevented me from improving. Today I have an appointment with a PT to get measures for orthodics. If that decreases my Sciatica pain, then I can go to the gym again, I have not been there for over a year!         Yesterday was my girlfriend Carol's birthday pa

      I have been trying to get rid of Sciatica but it is staying and is firmly planted in me. Parkinson's and Sciatica are painful and so annoying!!  They just don't quit, day after day after day!! I am starting to think of Parkinson's and Sciatica as a sick  married couple!! Mr Parkinson's will continue to slow me down in life and Ms. Sciatica will always be a pain in my butt(that is exactly where the pain starts!)!! They are a bad match but they are determined to stay in the relationship.  If I could get rid of Ms. Sciatica I would be so happy!! I know that Mr. Parkinson's will be with me forever.  What a wonderful thing to know...........Mr. Parkinson's will go to the grave with me!   I  first thought of Ms Sciatica as a thing that would come and go but once I got diagnosed with PD, she was and is determined to stay.   Ms. Sciatica chose to keep her maiden name!  I wish they would get a divorce!!   Some days, like today, they are ghoulish but not as bad a

         I have always liked my house neat and clean.  Since I have had Parkinson's and Sciatica, it has been more difficult to keep up. I run my ROOMBA everyday and I run my Brava Jet Mop every few days. My Roomba doesn't seem to work as well. I think I m wearing it out!! Tomorrow I think I need to use my WinBot which cleans my windows.  It is annoying because it takes me so much longer to do things, longer to get my gadgets out and running, longer to put things away and longer to have the energy to do the cleaning.  Today I cleaned out a part of the garage. I also cleaned out my spice cabinet!! I just love to see things neat, clean, and orderly!  My main problem was climbing up on a chair and then leaning on the counter.  My climbing was ok, but once again my balance was off.  I sort of fell into the cabinet, didn't get hurt but just bumped my shoulders. Why do I keep thinking my balance will get better instead of worse? This is a progressive disease and it doesn't ev

   A little bit of Good News!!!  Today when I got out of bed, I didn't need to use my walker!!!!! I am in pain but it is less than it was and ANY little bit of relief is a wonderful thing!!!! I am only shuffling the two and three step shuffle!! THAT IS PROGRESS!!  I am beyond happy, I can go up and down the steps without sitting on my butt!! I can walk down one step at a time but it has been a LONG time since I have been able to do that!           I showered and could stand up for a few minutes and this is huge progress!! I have a shower chair but I usually need to sit on it the entire time!! My foot even feels better!  I hope this is progress and not a fluke. I am tempted to go to the gym and walk on the treadmill but I am so afraid of the deep sciatica pain returning! My doctor wants me to exercise.   I think I will wait until Monday and see if my pain stays at this level!  My doctor gave me pills to reduce the swelling in my broken foot but man oh man, do they make me urinate!!

                                               I know for a fact that I have painful Sciatica and off balance Parkinson's because it is with me everyday!!! So, stupid me goes food shopping again to get more things for the weekend. Olivia and Frankie are going to visit Olya at college this weekend. Yesterday I made and froze the meat for Tacos. Today I bought all of the other things including sour cream, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, taco hard and soft shells, etc. I also bought lots of snacks and soda for them, I also purchased a box of cooked bacon, cream cheese, bagels, orange juice and cereal!  Then  I could NOT resist the "buy two six packs of bottled soda and get two packs free."  For me, it felt like they were this size in my cart!!! For Dan it is ALWAYS about the food....for me, it is ALWAYS about the bargain!!) I now prefer to buy the bottles because they have lids and they just might put the lid on the bottle! Less spills and less mess

       Today  and  Yesterday were such  painful days, I just hurt, my sciatica would just not give me a break.  Some posters gave me helpful hints about how to sit and I really appreciate the information.  I forced myself to go pick up meds that my family doc wanted me to take. Once I was in the car, I went to Michael's and got cardstock to try to make the paper flowers. I leaned on the shopping cart and felt like a weirdo! But I needed it for support and balance. Tomorrow I will watch the videos again before I try to make the flowers.  When I get busy, my pain seems a little better or maybe I focus on other things. My balance was so off.  I was trying to clean out part of the garage.  Everything I throw away, Dan and/or Olivia want to keep!  I had to stop because my balance was so off, it was so annoying!!!Olivia took a box of glassware to her two friends who just moved into a new house!  I also went to Acme after Michael's. I got a cake for Olivia to take to her friends

         I think I have reached a new LOW in the pain arena! My raw nerve endings from my lower back  through my left buttock and  all the way down my leg to my left foot are all just throbbing away!  Now my pain is bad while sitting. It use to be that I got a break from the really bad pain and being off balance while sitting. Sitting still makes my balance issue OK. I think I am headed in the direction of surgery and I am really scared about it. I am hoping this sitting pain is just a setback and will finally return to my new normal moving pain.  My speech therapist called and wanted to see me for a check-in for my voice but I told her that I was just in too much pain to work with her now.  Today I  just want to scream from the pain.    I took Advil but it only helps a tiny bit.  I am not supposed to take anything but Tylenol because I am so prone to Pancreatitis  but today I just can't take the pain.  I am trying to do things to take my mind off of the pain but it is so d