Parkinson’s Does Not Define Me

A dear friend and fellow blogger reminded me that I am more than my Parkinson’s. I am a wife, a mother, a friend, among other things, who happens to also have Parkinson’s Disease. It certainly occupies my time and energy each and every day, but it does not define who I am. I think every person with a disability or a chronic condition has to actively fight against becoming the disease. Choose to be healthy and well to the best of your capabilities, regardless of the diagnosis. So just how do you do this when you are struggling with immobility, or imbalance or pain? I will admit it is not easy, but it can be done by changing your attitude from being a sick person to a healthy one who happens to also have a medical condition.

Start your morning with something positive. I savor a good cup of tea and look out the window to see what Mother Nature is doing today. I see a hummingbird at the feeder, a squirrel trying to get to the feeder and my knockout roses in bloom again. Ahh, so pretty. I read my daily devotional, Jesus Calling from Sarah Young, and I find peace in the passage. I am waiting for my meds to kick in so I can move on with my day. Finally, the tremors subside. Enough thinking of my Parkinson’s. What is on the agenda today?

First, I attend a yoga  class and feel the calmness that comes from stretching and strengthening my muscles.  The instructor is wonderful and greets each of us with compassion and  caring. My tremors may be noticeable , but no one mentions it. Ah, I feel normal.

I continue my day without too much thought of my Parkinson’s. The only reminder is when I need to take my meds again. I meet with a friend to catch up on life, but suggest that today we just do not even discuss the P word. She agrees. So we chat about family, politics, and plans for some fun vacations. It feels good to just be normal.

When I return home, I toss in some laundry and make a cup of tea. It is time for meds again. I am tired, but do not want to waste the beautiful sunshine by taking a nap. I go on the deck and try to revive two of my plants that have seen better days. I am hoping the MIracle Grow and water will bring them back to life, we’ll see. Ok, it is time for a rest which is something I never did before I had Parkinson’s. So I acknowledge I need this down time every day and I grab my kindle and start to read. I fall asleep after reading two pages and wake up about 20 minutes later. Good, I replenished some of the dopamine and now I am ready to move on. Dinner, cleanup, folding clothes, knitting, and  some television take up the next several hours. I take my meds, different ones at night than in the day, and get ready for bed.  I take a hot bath, and go to sleep, hopefully.

You see, I am just like everyone else, except I have Parkinson’s. It is a condition that I have, but it is not who I am!