Phew! That’s my longest heading yet! As I write this, we in New Zealand are in ‘Level 4’ lockdown. The lockdown we experience in NZ may be one of the toughest – if not the toughest – in the world! Unless you are an essential worker – which both of us are – you areContinue reading “Being grateful when it feels like there is nothing to be grateful for!”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Driving, anxiety and awareness
I have always been a reasonably confident driver, though for some reason if my husband is in the car I do not quite drive the same. Now I find – and I think this is a Parkies effect – that I lack confidence when parking and backing the car. It is a bit of aContinue reading “Driving, anxiety and awareness”
When the chips are down
I am fortunate to have an incredibly supportive husband and have mentioned this before. At the moment things have become incredibly stressful and once more he has shown me amazing support. As I sit and reflect on our lives at present, we are dealing with a higher than average level of stress and yet hisContinue reading “When the chips are down”
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?”
My journey with Parkinsons 