May 11, 2017

Greetings My Friend, The other day was about the best day of energy I have had in awhile since starting my new Parkinson's medication. I was pleased I was able to deal with the chaos of the kitchen being a mess due to a wiring project Junior is working on, cabinets pulled out and a hosier cabinet parked in the middle of the kitchen. I made potato salad and baked a banana upside down cake, which was a 1st try and it is okay, I won't make it again though. I am adjusting to waking up later in the morning, staying awake late into the night and loving my energy level returning. I had thought I had seen the end of my hobbies preferring to be physical with housework and cooking. In recent days I can see I will be able to return to sewing and decopauging adding in finishing some furniture. The hosier cabinet came with our old farm house and that makes it precious to me. It has seen a few years and has been a long while since it was cleaned up so I am looking forward to making it look good again. I am thankful my asthma has been brought under control too, I have gone a year and a half now with no bronchitis. God guided me to find my triggers and then to remove all the rugs in the house, use air purifiers and keep the doors closed during allergy season until after noon. God has been guiding me with ways to stay active and get exercise into my day by doing housework, being on my feet for long periods with cooking,baking and putting food up for the winter. Now the stronger dose of medication is bringing me back a measure of my old self again. I am grateful to be on my feet for awhile longer. Prior to starting the medication it was difficult for me to walk long distances, at home I was resting more between jobs I was doing. I am learning with PD that the dopamine in my brain is decreasing which is why my muscles aren't doing what they once did. I am often told I should squat more when getting objects from the floor. The problem in I can squat to get down but the muscles that I use to pull myself up quit working on me and I often need to sit down on the floor and use a lot of effort to pull myself back up to a standing position. My muscles freeze up on me a lot making everyday movements difficult at best. The medication has a way of replacing the dopamine in my brain so that my muscles work better. This medication will only work for so long and then the disease process will take its course. By being active I am able to prolong the process with the help of medication. My goal has been to have as a quality of life as I am able through exercise and good eating. Over the past 12 years since cancer I have had to push myself real hard to regain a measure of energy to live a quality of life. God has guided me and has brought me to this day. I am sure chronic fatigue will continue to plague me and again God has shown me how to manage it so that I can do many of the things I now enjoy. I know that I need to stop and rest, not for a few minutes but an hour or more most days. I have found that resting gives me time to talk to God or to sit on the porch and soak in the beauty that surrounds me. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet