I was talking to my granddaughters in the spa pool this evening as they are staying for a couple of nights. It has become a place to get away from devices and talk about things. We talk about all manner of things and some of the discussions we have – especially with one of the 14 year old twins are very thought provoking. She has always been a deep thinker and we have some great ‘adult’ conversations now.
The discussion came round to my Parkinson’s and my other health woes, but mostly about my Parkinson’s. I told her that a couple of people have commented about whether this Blog is making me focus too much on my ‘condition’. As I explained to her, I can no more change the fact that I have Parkies than she can change the fact that she has curly hair or green eyes. Sure, she could straighten her hair or get coloured contacts, but at the very core of her being she is still a curly haired girl with green eyes.
Parkies is a part of who I am. I don’t exactly embrace it, but I do accept it as a part of my very being. Something that cannot be ignored, but I do feel I benefit when I explore what it means to me and find ways of working with it, rather than fighting against it. That doesn’t mean that I am willing to let it win, but I am trying to find ways to manage whatever this condition means to me. Once I have my knee sorted, I will certainly look to much more exercise which will benefit my Parkies.
I received a lovely comment today from one of my followers who said the following ‘Sometimes it’s cathartic to vent and here is a good place because your friends in the Parkie Club understand.’ That meant a lot to me, because it is comments like that, that bring home to me that I am not alone in this journey. That by sharing my story, I become a part of others’ stories and they of mine. That we can reach out to each other with understanding like no-one who isn’t affected can possibly do.
So, like my curly headed granddaughter. Parkies is part of who I am now. I cannot change that it inhabits my body, but I can build my resilience and ability to go on by reaching out and giving voice to my thoughts and feelings.
I am touched by those who reach out to me and who support me and hope that they in turn feel my support for them.
My journey with Parkinsons 
Sometimes we have to reach out to each other to get our frustration heard. I personally feel that the more people I talk to about my Parkinsons, the more empowered I feel. Yesterday I went on a Ladies Day out and where we went, the ladies husband had Parkinsons. As I have had DBS, I was able to tell her about my experiences before and after. My neighbour was with me and she told the lady how it helped.
Keep up with your blog, it teaches us all .
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Thank you so much. It makes me happy to know that I am helping you and others. I feel we are building a community that really understands each other. I also feel that people who don’t share their journey with friends and family miss out on a valuable source of support. Keep letting people know and letting them into your Parkies life. The more we talk about it the more people get to know it’s not just ‘the shakes’.
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