As a non-scientific person who cannot claim even a rudimentary understanding of this illness and the brain I still think a lot.
I read very little but the small snippets I do all talk of The brain re-routing information along different neuro pathways when it gets stuck .
In a simplistic way I guess this would account for some of the sucessful solutions I use when I get stuck. In that I try and instruct myself in different ways or distract my Parkinsons so that I can get something done .
I am also aware that the brain learns these new tricks and they become ineffective after a while. Example if I Count out loud when I'm walking it works for a bit when it stops working I start counting in French My walking starts again.
And so on.
I have always been curious probing question asking interested in everything around me . I talk to as many people as I can I love information finding things out learning engaging. I love change I love challenge I go out of my way to step out of my comfort zone. I do new things all the time . I accept invitations to things I have no interest in on the basis that I might discover something I do like. I rarely say no.
All of this does make me wonder if that is why I have been so well for so long maybe my brain fires up many pathways and networks all the time simply because of my actions .
I have been called a butterfly because of all the different projects I immerse myself in and because I flit from one to the other. It isn't frustrating because I do get things finished and when I have done I simply start something new and something different. May be my butterfly brain is the right kind of brain to deal with this condition who knows.
It's Friday have a great weekend I know I will husband is home yippeeeee !
Having met many "high energy " PWP I have often wondered if we somehow burned up our normal bridges. & are left with seeking alternative paths. I know I thrived on adrenalin and cortisol, always rushing full speed ahead.
I absolutely agree that it is important we keep pushing our boundaries. What I find difficult is maintaining this. I am very annoyed that knitting tends to have beaten me. I say this after starting and subsequently undoing my latest masterpiece, I will not be defeated. Just going to cast on again. I am determined to overcome this challenge. Sue
This is one of my favourite posts! I love your attitude and enthusiasm. And yes, we should say yes to all sorts of things.
I agree that we need to tell our bodies to do things differently when the 'normal' way doesn't work. My symptoms are very mild still (and I'm not diagnosed yet, but have PD symptoms). I too try to get round things in different ways. Sometimes my right leg drags when I walk. So this has led me to walk in a different way. I try to walk quite fast, and I imagine that I'm walking on a treadmill. I concentrate on using my gluteal (buttock) muscles, and imagine the ground moving in the way a treadmill does. Using these muscles seems to turn off the other shaky, more uncertain ones. It really works and the dragging and any internal tremor goes away, at least for a while.
And when my hand seizes up and my writing goes cramped and small, rather than saying the words in my head I say each letter, and concentrate on writing each letter separately, rather than the whole word. And I tell myself to write the letters round and clear, like I'm writing out something for a child. Doing this makes my writing look more normal and legible.
And when my face feels 'blank' I tell it what expressions to do. I don't like this so much as it feels like it must not look very natural. I think relaxing before I talk might help too. But I need to think of a different way of doing this.
I admire your butterfly brain. Enjoy the rest of the weekend with your husband.
I went to an acoustic guitar concert this weekend, Yippee I had so much fun but more so in hindsight than in being there. At the 2 hour mark I had to get up and walk down the long row mumbling "EXCUSE ME AND I'm SORRY" for disturbing everyone. One man touched on the shoulder in mute respect to what I was enduring. I felt a great healing come from that simple gesture. I have a hard time sitting still for 2 and a half hours I miss the porcelain throne too much. But I too have decided to accept more invitations, go out more and generally enjoy the Now of my life. I was and continue to be very lucky in my marriage, the life of the party meets the life of a Parky. "Snap out of it" she quotes Cher from "Moonstruck" her favourite line... Sometimes I feel as if it's just too much to bear, especially in the cold and very dark night, when sweet sleep is but a dream undreamt. But I owe it to myself to get up and snap out of it. I find it easier to walk if I count in Japanese... When my neuro-plastic brain catches on I'll switch to Gaelic. I'm glad to hear you made it safely through being solo.
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