Among the many challenges of living with Parkinson’s is coming to terms with the unpredictable course it takes and the fear and uncertainty this creates. Although you can never be certain what lies ahead of you, your quality of life is determined by how you see the path you're on and how you manage your day-to-day situation.
Parkinson’s is known as a “designer disease” because the symptoms, rate of progression, and degree of disability vary greatly from person to person. What one person considers a major problem, perhaps because it negatively impacts their job performance, another sees as a minor inconvenience.
The anger, fear, helplessness, hopelessness, resentment, and depression created by living with a chronic disease can destroy careers, financial security, friendships, and marriages. As Parkinson’s progresses, it changes our roles in family, work and social situations, leaving an indelible mark on each of us, forever altering our sense of who we are. Some PWP never get past this, while others gain new strengths.
This is the opportunity to create the changes in your life that will bring meaning to every day and promote and sustain your physical and emotional well-being. It is up to you to make this happen.
On my own decade-long journey with Parkinson’s, I have discovered things about myself I never knew, done things I never dreamed of doing, forged friendships with people I would otherwise not have encountered, and met one of my celebrity heroes – former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.
Working on pdplan4life with my friend Jean Burns is the most rewarding venture I’ve ever undertaken. Your feedback has touched our lives as much as we have touched yours. It doesn’t get any better than that.
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