January 27, 2018

Greetings My Friend,

It took me 6 years to get a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. During that time frame I felt anxious, wondering why walking was difficult, why I was tiring out when I did walk for short periods of time even though a few years earlier I walked everyday on my lunch hour. As I say that I recall working and walking for years on my lunch hour around the parking structure but that last year, I wore out, hardly able to make to entire trip up and down the parking structure so I could say symptoms began earlier than the 6 years, anyway it took a very long time to find out what was going on with me. Those years of declining abilities to walk, being winded easily, chronically tired hardly able to move from one chair to the next were long and difficult. Drawing close to God helped, I felt Him guiding one health issue at a time, the walking though took so much longer to find out what was wrong. I also knew the day I had a diagnosis I would have a name to the problem and a fight in my spirit to cope. to make the best of this situation. In October of 2016, I received a diagnosis, almost immediately I found myself relaxing then I felt the battle I was facing. Since then I have researched PD, found help sites to join since there are no groups in my area to connect with my online support network has become a set of friends to share with. I have learned that exercise is of huge importance to be flexible, eating a healthy diet, and setting routines in place. Recently I have noticed people talking about down days and I figured out what they meant by that, I woke up late, took my PD medication late and I felt sluggish, my brain was foggy like I could not get my thoughts together. I used to describe this feeling as having a hangover without the alcohol. The next day, I was back up at my usual time, my routines were back and I was able to function rather well both physically and mentally. I was explaining all of this to my husband Junior, I could see he was not fully comprehending what I was telling him, he still tries to think in well body thinking. I struggled with this for a long time myself, like with the walking, I kept telling myself to keep pushing, soon I would be able to push past the sluggishness, the tiredness even the exhaustion I had. A Physical Therapist once told me that I needed to rest and not for 10 or 15 minutes but longer. Again that was hard although I soon learned to work for 2 hours rest for just as long even take a nap if I needed it then get up and work again for 2 hours doing that helps me stay flexible, pain free for the most part and productive. God has been teaching me how to live with this chronic disease, He gives me peace, then He takes me by the hand showing me answers on the help sites, on Pinterest, from my doctor, all over the place. My anxiousness has gone away for the most part mostly from God, some from anxiety/depression medications and lots of prayers, Bible reading. I have learned that my life span can be a normal life span for other women of my age range which means I can live with this disease for another 20 years or so since I am in my 60's. My goal is to have the best quality of life I am able to which means taking care of my health. As my friend Terrie says all the time "God's got this." May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet