The mind of and athlete and PD.

[Koko]

I have noticed that many of us who have PD were/are athletes. I guess even when the body can no longer hit the ball or run the race, we still maintain our competitve nature. I have found this to be very useful when dealing with PD.

Whenever I am presented with a physical challenge my competitve nature kicks in and I am damned if I will lose this event. When I am on the floor and find it hard to get up, I pretend that its the last lap of the hundred yard freestyle and I have to pour it on to win, even though my tank is empty.

The truth b e known that when these things happen, I am exhausted the next day and have take an extra nap, but it feels good to look back on yesterday and see a 'W' in the win column.

Just a thought.... wishing you all many victories.

[anthonyjohnrobinson]

From school house to inter service (RAF) all my sporting life has been competitive not just as an individual but as a team player. Even my very brief boxing career (4-0-0) was to make up a team for a competition, we were short of a light heavy.

Yes I play to win, for myself and for the team.

Yes I will not let life beat me, for myself and for those that believe in me.

Yes I will fight to beat pd, one point at a time.

Yes I will work hard in the scrum of life just as did on the rugby field.

Yes I will encourage those around me, just as I did on the cricket ground.

[shetawk in reply to anthonyjohnrobinson]

Thank you for this...so many "yeses".

[Koko in reply to anthonyjohnrobinson]

Grand spirit! I would have liked you on my team.

[Koko in reply to anthonyjohnrobinson]

I just realized, Anthony, we are on the same team. Life can be pretty good.

Lets go and win!

[anthonyjohnrobinson in reply to Koko]

We are a team, a team of thousands. Lets start playing in oppositions half of the field, or even quarter or better still lets get across the score line. (some mixed up terminology here but you know what I mean).

Come on the pwp's

[Brooke in reply to anthonyjohnrobinson]

You rock Anthony! I agree with you. We have to keep positive and try to encourage those around us even the ones that don't have PD. God Bless

[smswv]

Not all are athletes but, work the other side of the ball, the umpires of the game. While most athletes are only on the field two or three times a week us umpires are there every day. Sometimes doing two games a day. A nap the next day is sometimes mandatory.

While being evaluated during a tournament, the evaluator said "It looked like you were staggering out there." Well that's because I was, and I find myself explaining my affliction; hoping the Lord will grant me one more year of officiating the game I love.

[PatV]

I was always a clumsy klutz so did not play sports, although I wanted to. Nevertheless, I have been described as competitive. And that's how I approach PD. "I have already won!" is my attitude.

[anthonyjohnrobinson]

Yes I've been a match official as well, cricket, field hockey and rugby.

[Susie01]

I was a runner and a gymnast. Before my PD diagnosis, I had a pre-employment physical during which the physical therapist told me I had serious balance issues! Of couse I told her I was a former gymnast and worked on a 4" wide beam. She still stuck to her guns...turns out she was right. But my competetive spirit has not gone away. It kept me fighting for disability benefits and from giving up at times when the PD symptoms are so bad.

[beang]

I was not an athlete, and am not much of one now. I joined a workout program for people with Parkinson's ( rocksteadyboxing.org ) because it was non-threatening to non-athletes. I am now in better shape (for my age!) than before I was diagnosed. I recently ran a half-marathon in 2:02. (It is not about the time, except to illustrate that if I stay healthy, I will run faster next year than when I was half my current age.) Regardless of your challenges, if you can find the determination and faith you can disregard any preconceived limits. If you truly don't want me to do something, don't tell me I can't.