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The choice is yours: Don't let Parkinson's keep you from living a full life
When diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1998, I was overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness, anger, fear, and sadness. The younger of my two sons was finishing his junior year in high school, and the older one was away at college. My husband and I had begun planning how we would spend our “empty nester” years —and having a chronic, progressive disease was not in the picture.   I knew I had Parkinson’s before the neurologist confirmed it. Sitting in her exam room, I sobbed uncontrollably as vivid memories of my father-in-law in the end stage of Parkinson’s, some 15 years earlier, came rushing back. I had witnessed his steady decline over a decade as Parkinson’s slowly ravaged his body.   My neurologist assured me that my father-in-law’s fate would not be mine. New medicines help people with Parkinson's (PWP) manage their symptoms and enjoy a good quality of life for a long time, she said, adding that I would very likely live to see a cure. If a person had to have an incurable neurological disease today, she said, Parkinson’s would be the one to have. Somehow, I could not make myself feel “lucky” at that particular moment.   Over the course of my journey with Parkinson’s, I’ve worked hard to live in the moment and not project what my life will be like down the road. This has not been easy. Every new or worsening symptom sends me running to my computer to determine whether it is a sign of advancing PD or, an adverse reaction to one of my medications. Surely I’ve earned a medical degree from the Internet by now.   At the very least, I’ve learned that none of us is promised tomorrow; some of us just get an early peek at what it may be like. Although we did not choose to have Parkinson’s, we can choose not to allow it to keep us from living full and productive lives. top	Things I wish someone had told me when I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Develop a positive outlook and a proactive approach to living with Parkinson’s. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. Continue to pursue your goals and do the things that make you happy. Remain as independent as you can for as long as you can. Talk to friends and family about your illness so they can be your support system. Exercise regularly and stay socially active. Develop regular sleeping and eating patterns. Take medications on time, and as prescribed. Learn all you can about Parkinson’s so you can play an active role in your treatment. Seek out clinical trials for which you may be eligible, and new treatments that may benefit you. (www.pdtrials.org) Be open to alternative/complementary medicine (e.g. acupuncture, yoga, massage). Take control of your disease — don’t let it control you. Never lose hope for finding a cure. top
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