Know me not for Parkinson’s

I have just been chilling out in my spa pool, soaking away my various aches and pains, of which there are many! While I was there, I was listening to some music and Linda Ronstadt started to sing. As I listened to her music, I thought about the first time I heard her voice when I was a teenager. I listened to her songs and it brought back many good memories. I sang along – quietly so as not to scare the neighbours – and was very much enjoying listening to her. Then, after listening for a while I thought, “Hmmm I think she had Parkinson’s” or has, I’m not sure if she is still around or not!

But with the realisation of the fact that Linda was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, it was very much a minor afterthought. It was not the first thing by any means that I would think of when thinking about Linda and her life. The same goes for Billy Connolly – who made so many people laugh, John Walker – a famous NZ athlete – of whom we New Zealanders are proud, Ozzy Osbourne as a musician with a unique way of living his life with his quirky family and Mohammed Ali for his boxing prowess, but also his cheeky sense of humour and his entertaining style when being interviewed.

All these people I have mentioned have one thing in common I feel. And it isn’t Parkinson’s! It is that Parkinson’s is a footnote, an afterthought, if thought at all. The thing all these people have in common is that they are known for so much more than their diagnosis, if they are known for it at all.

So, for me I hope that people know me not for my Parkinson’s.

Know me for:

• Being a good and loving wife.
• Being a good Mum and Nanna.
• Being a much-loved sister (I hope).
• Being a much-loved cousin/honorary sister.
• Someone who once wrote a book for children whose Dad has had a stroke.
• Someone who wrote and performed her poetry and in doing so put smiles on people’s faces.
• Being a good cook and baker and sharing that with my grandchildren.
• Doing some good in the world through social work.
• Volunteering – when I get back to it.

and, last on the list, an afterthought.

“Oh, I think she might have had Parkinson’s.