I had lunch this week with my daughter, my youngest child and mother of my three grand-daughters. We started to talk about my Parkinson’s and how I was doing and generally how it has affected me. Life is busy. I work four days a week in a busy and stressful job. I have a husbandContinue reading “A better person… trying to find balance in life”
Category Archives: Self learning and growth
Being me… being you
This week my two oldest grand-children turn 13. If you haven’t guessed from the opening sentence, they are twins. They may be twins, but they are very much individuals. One of them goes with the flow, enjoys attention and seems quite relaxed about life, the other has never enjoyed being the focus of attention, ‘Oh,Continue reading “Being me… being you”
Flying in the face of convention…
Today I wore odd earrings. I didn’t mean to, but I noticed half way through the day that I had put on two totally different earrings. I know years ago I seemed to lose one of a pair of earrings and decided that rather than not wearing the remaining earrings I would mix and matchContinue reading “Flying in the face of convention…”
Trying not to focus on ‘the end game’
I saw this posted on a Facebook page this morning for people with Parkinson’s and those that support them. It felt raw and very sad for that person to post this note to his or her Parkinson’s community. As someone also with the diagnosis, I absolutely get what they are saying. How could I not?Continue reading “Trying not to focus on ‘the end game’”
A sense of unreality
I am regularly plagued by a sense of unreality. That I don’t really have Parkinson’s. That any symptoms I might have can be explained away by overwork, tiredness, age, anything but Parkinson’s. My symptoms are pretty mild. I can walk without shuffling. My balance is pretty good. My reduction in energy levels explained away byContinue reading “A sense of unreality”
Knowing (and accepting) when you need help!
I have always prided myself on my independence and have been loathe to accept help unless I really need it. In this latest chapter of my life journey, now more than ever I need to be more open to accepting help. As mentioned in my last post, I had a fall on 30/12 and injuredContinue reading “Knowing (and accepting) when you need help!”
Happy Anniversary to me… what I have learned in a year!
So, today is my Anniversary. The Anniversary of that visit to my Neurologist where he uttered the fateful words, ‘I have to tell you, you have Parkinson’s’. What a lot has happened in the intervening 12 months! My thoughts on living for 12 months with this diagnosis: Initial reaction – devastation. Feelings of hopelessness andContinue reading “Happy Anniversary to me… what I have learned in a year!”
Being Brave
I have been described by colleagues as being ‘brave’ but what does that mean to me? To me being brave is getting up every morning and doing my job, but it can also be waking up in the morning and saying ‘today I can’t go to work, I need a break and time out toContinue reading “Being Brave”
Peer Support
I have worked in a number of jobs where there have been support groups available for people with certain health conditions in common. These groups can be invaluable as people often have similar shared experiences and knowledge of what has – or hasn’t – helped for them. It reminds me of when I was aContinue reading “Peer Support”
I asked for help today…
Parkies or no Parkies, I think of myself as a professional woman who is usually confident in the work that I do. I admit that in part my confidence has been a bit rocked, but basically pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis I am still that functional professional woman. I have always had high expectations of myself andContinue reading “I asked for help today…”
My journey with Parkinsons 