I find that exercise helps me the most and I try to do at least some each day. A close second, for me at least, is having a sense of humour. I also set myself a small challenge each day, though do not always achieve this. I try again until I do.
I also believe that we have to continue to fight Parkinsons all the way. Each morning I say 'you will not get the better of me today'. If only this were true.
Best way to deal with it?
I could give you the usual cobblers about exercise, diet, drug regime etc etc etc all which has been said a thousand times before and yes it is relevant and you do need to look after yourself
If you really want to deal with it then you have to broach the tricky subject of acceptance and all that entails
Acceptance can seem like a harsh reality because it means you have an incurable illness that is progressive and no sign of a cure on the horizon (other than the usual drill a hole in your head and stuff it full of stem cells or some drug, which lets face it at the cost of operations these days isnt going to be available to joe public)
However on the flip side you realise that you have to do something about it to get through. You need to be happy, with yourself and that's a personal thing that only you can answer.
What I do know is you have to conquer fear and that's your biggest obstacle.
To do that you have to push yourself through it. You will need help and encouragement and you will also have to accept your "dream future aint gonna happen."
But hey it was never guaranteed anyway. Dream another one.!
Don't let pd be your life. Don't let it be your enemy either. Turn the way you look at it on its head. What can PD do for you?
It changed my life, but mostly for the better. I've met people I would never have come across pre PD an made some great friends. It gives you a chance to be part of a community, to help people and make a real difference in their lives.
I don't want to harp on about "there's always some one worse off" that's a rubbish argument.
Gee, seeing that guy with no legs sure made me feel a whole heap happier today!
Its about attitude, its about the guy with no legs being in the para-olympics, its about your world being turned upside down and you saying " I'm not having it. I'm gonna get a life".
Good luck! Bad luck you make your own luck.
Here's one to think about.
A Spanish boy was given the task of posting the football lottery by his father.. He not only didn't do it, he spent the fee money too! Of course it turned out to be the winning number and the family missed out on a £million.
Pretty bad luck huh.
Maybe not. Instead it drove him on to be the best at soccer and he went on to be the Real Madrid and Spanish goalkeeper. He won many trophies including the world cup and as a millionaire he has paid his father back many times.
Would he have achieved that as a millionaire lottery winner is unknown. The thing is he and his father didn't dwell on it. They made the best of the situation.
and that always pays dividends
Leyther
So true. I think having an "attitude of gratitude" helps me get through most days. Thanks for sharing.
Exercise , sense of humour , watching football (soccer to our U.S cousins) , chocolate , the occasional beer , all of these and many more things help me through the day .
Very sensible. You sure your not me?
Our outlook on life seems to be very similar , and i also believe that you need to push through the denial stage to accept what has happened . Live life to its fullest and never , ever , give up. If somebody says you "can't" do something then ask "why?" and if you want to do it , cos you believe you can - then do it anyway!!
Thank you! Love the attitude.
I had the most wonderful uncle, from the Greatest Generation. He fought in WW2 and saw many terrible things as men at war do. He told me that after that experience he just wanted live a long fruitful life into old age. He got sick in his mid 70's and with a rare blood disorder that took his life rather fast. It was told to us by the VA later that he had probably been exposed to radiation while his ship was in Hiroshima Bay after the war to document the blast effects, his disorder only coming from radiation exposure.
He was not made at his situation of dying from on awful decease, but that it had given him clarity on the subject of living to an old age. My uncle and I were very close and he told me the he wanted to share with me his newfound thoughts on living to be aged. He said to me "Wayne, if you want to live to be an old man you got to be tough, cause old age ain't for wimps!!!" And he started laughing. He said he had been through some of the worst things in life but they couldn't hold a candle to getting old, watching your friends and loved die off, illness and the like. If you live long enough you will see a lot of heart ache so you better be tough cause life want ease up on you cause you are old.
So, I will be just as tough on PD as anything else that comes along in life, for as my uncle told me it get any easier as we get older, we got to get tougher.
Hi wayne
yes it is agreat generation who lived thro the WW2
I still have my dad andgodmother alive at 90 and
they were never told that you ahd to be stoical when u g ot old
they just didi it!!
lol Jill
I really appreciate the answers to your question. I have thought about your ? and really had to stop in my tracks and do a quick assesment of my life. Not my family's lives, just mine. I am so busy running with two teenagers and keeping up with the family-that I don't really get a whole lot of me time. I have to stretch several times a day and I take my meds and supplements like I'm supposed to. But I don't belong to a gym any more or a PD support group. I do volunteer at the schools and that is busy. So Thank you for your ? it has really given me a reality check of I need to do for me, cause nobody else is going too.
Not very thought provoking..but i find laughter is often the best medicine....getting tickled makes me laugh unself consciously...most of the time i am too pd aware...just a new discovery for me,,
One day at a time!
Pray to have a fulfilling life, no matter what!
Avoid injuries--requires living in the moment and paying attention.
Have fun!!!!
I'm full of gratitude for all of you
Sue, Hilary, Sharon & Mark, I'm having a s*** day but this site is helping keep me sane. The fantastic & inspirational answers to this question speak volumes. At the end of the day it is up to each of us to do whatever it takes to beat PD or go mad. Earlier I was going mad - now I'm going to get even! No I'm going to WIN!!!
A guy tells his wife he couldn't go watch the ball game because he has Parkinson's. She asks so if you stay home you won't have it. He says he might fall asleep in the middle of the game. She says it's better to see half the game than none of it. Listen to music, read a book and use humor. Maybe you have tremors and are worried people will stare at you. So if they do what's the worst that could happen? No one can make you feel bad without your permission. Don't give it to them. Think about it. And smile. It makes other people wonder what you've been up to.
without questiion
attitude is everything
my tack ,. get up in the morning and kick it square on the arse,you are the man. second, a game youplay .a mind game, if you think yur sick,then sick is what you are, i dont think im sick,..IM..WELL (SOON) wont be for long so things will be ok,as before..its artificial suedo kid on attitude, WITH HOPE,assume your GONNA BE.(takes time) belief in a recovery
thirdly and most important, believe your gonna get fixed look for the
answer ,this ,this is NOT your whole life here, DRUGS ARE IN TRIALS
SOMEDAYS it will beat you, but this gives you determination to kick it on the arse tomorrow parkys strong but you must be stronger
a cure will come ,,iTS NOT GAME OVER,dont sit waiting keep up with medical research,,there are many hopefull new products ...coming
ATTITUDE IS ALL
professsor
I agree with the professor. I believe there is a cure right around the corner.
Someone once said ,"Parkinson's Disease is not a death sentence but a life sentence". I plan on living my life sentence to the fullest and believing for a cure.
Thank you all for your inspiring answers. The last few days have not been too good as my tablets are not wearing off, they are just not clicking on so my tremor is not being controlled. This happens to me from time to time and is very uncomfortable, to say the least. Have a hospital appointment soon so will see what they say.
However, today is another day and I look forward to it with hope. After all, we have no choice but to get on with our lives as best we can and never give up FIGHTING or EXERCISE and praying for a CURE. Today could be the day.
I look after my 3 year old grandaughter today so at least my day will be filled with love and laughter. I have much to be thankful for.
With hindsight, what do you wish you'd known when you had your first diagnosis of Parkinsons
What shall I do for the best?
I think i am overmedicated .. what do you think?
Much of What We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself?
WHAT IS YOUR BEST SLEEPING AID? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
