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My first Parkies Conference

This weekend I attended my first Parkinson’s Conference in Rotorua. The UPBEAT Conference for people Under 65 years and their partners/support people. It was, just as the name suggests, an upbeat and positive experience meeting with people who are also on this journey and learning about their challenges and how they continue to live theirContinue reading “My first Parkies Conference”

I’m a planner

Maybe it’s my natural inclination, maybe it’s my training as a Social Worker, but I know that I am a planner. I like to know what I am doing and who I am doing it with in almost every aspect of my life. Don’t get me wrong, there is room for spontaneity, but I doContinue reading “I’m a planner”

Strength in numbers

It is strange to me that I have spent my life resisting a lot of group activities and yet I find myself embracing groups since my diagnosis. While I have over the years joined a gym and attended from time to time, gym classes left me cold. When I have tried to join in gymContinue reading “Strength in numbers”

Stress has a ceiling…

Life is stressful. Life with Parkies is stressful. Some stress is unavoidable and part of everyone’s daily life. I find myself with a number of significant stressors in my life at present and I have discovered something about myself recently. That discovery is that I have a finite reserve for dealing with stress. I haveContinue reading “Stress has a ceiling…”

Stress and It’s just ‘stuff’ after all…

So, in previous blogs I talked about the plan to sell our large, two-storey home and downsize to a single storey home. Well, Auction day came and in the morning our beautiful home went under the hammer. Long story short, we sold our home to a lovely couple – the wife being a nurse fromContinue reading “Stress and It’s just ‘stuff’ after all…”

Every day I’m learning

As I move along the road which is my journey with Parkies, I find that I am constantly learning. Not only learning about Parkies itself, but about myself as a person. My priorities are changing and I am becoming more family focussed and wanting to spend time with those I love. This weekend we hadContinue reading “Every day I’m learning”

Why are doctors reluctant to refer?

I met with someone recently who I know and who I was unaware has also recently been diagnosed with Parkies. They are in the early stages – just six weeks ago – and very much going through the ‘Grief and Shock’ stage. Their story struck a chord for me for many reasons. I remember theContinue reading “Why are doctors reluctant to refer?”

I don’t have time for Parkies right now!

I have been a bit absent from my Blog for the last couple of weeks. Maybe that’s a good thing? A good thing because maybe I am letting go of my focus on Parkies and what it means for my life. Maybe, just maybe, I am finding a space slowly that puts Parkies in theContinue reading “I don’t have time for Parkies right now!”

Decision made – the three of us are moving (my husband, Parkies and I)

So this is it. Big decision made. Contract signed to sell our beautiful, beloved home. This is a decision not lightly made by either of us (with Parkies looking over my shoulder). It is a hard decision, but we are agreed the right one. The ‘sensible’ one. The ‘adult’ one. We are planning for theContinue reading “Decision made – the three of us are moving (my husband, Parkies and I)”

These legs were made for walking

I have been thinking about how much we take walking for granted and balance too for that matter. The weekend for me starts on a Friday and I have a Parkies exercise class that is now part of my life. One exercise involves a wide side step with wide arms and back to the centre.Continue reading “These legs were made for walking”