December 31, 2016

Greetings My Friend, I think the best thing that happened this year is I was finally diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. I have a name to what is going on with my body, I am able to focus my energy on the types of things that will help me live to the best of my ability instead of trying things that do not work and wears me out tremendously I now am able to exercise and I sense the rewards of my exercising instead of being constantly exhausted. Dementia can be a part of PD as well, I have learned that it is important to keep my mind active, focused on things. I have learned it is important to be involved in things and with people. The awesome part of all these things to be as healthy as I can with PD is I love exercising my mind and my body. I feel my muscles are responding so much better and my love of learning is allowing me time to study the Word, to write and share my faith journey. My social life seems to be attending church and going to doctor's appointments. I have a few phone friends, a few on line friends and of course a few physical friends that I am able to keep up with in person. I have known for roughly 2 months so I feel I am growing in this disease at this point. Right now the fight is in me to want to beat this disease, more than likely the day may come I will give up the fight for now though I fight. I think added to all of these steps for PD health I believe I need to have spiritual health and the only way to do that is to walk daily with Jesus. I have been researching new study ways and I have started one of them which is mapping. I am learning to make squares on a page of material I am reading, from the squares I may draw a line and write another thought, by doing this I find the material staying with me. Junior decided to give back the bills to me, he discovered his weakness in spending so he thinks I will be able to get us under control and stay there. Time will tell. I have learned that I can no longer get caught up in drama and I have told some of the people in my life that I am no longer able to enter into it anymore. I find that I am in a fight like I have never been in to live as well as I can which means I need to focus on "me". I still care and I will do what I can but I can not promise that I will be dependable "Janet" anymore. I plan on not pushing myself so if I made plans and exhaustion, general illness overtakes me I will more than likely not follow through with the plan. I learned much when I thought I had Chiari Malformation like invisible illness' the struggle that they bring so I am thankful for what I have learned. I believe that I have a few of the Chiari symptom's and I see that I have struggled with them throughout my life. I am lucky that I do not have the CSF pressure that many do and my heart breaks for them, I have learned more when I was told I had ataxia which has taught me to use a walking stick to help me balance, I have hand grips on a door frame so that I can do some of my exercises holding onto something and I have learned of things I can buy to help me like utensils for those with tremors and equipment that keeps me from falling out of bed. At this point all the information gathering is helping, allowing me to cope while God is giving me the strength to face the frightening disease of PD. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet