Tag: parkinsons

World Parkinson’s Day 2025

And on this World Parkinson Awareness Day, this opened today. A red tulip in my front yard opened today. Reminds me that having and living with Parkinson’s as I do that my focus must be in the present moment. Though my symptoms are managed now with medication, I realize that this is my normal now. You cannot see the impact of setting too long, and muscles and nerves take a time to respond. This is a part of everyday living, my life.

There is still no cure. It may take time to fully assess the impact of changes medical research has made in response to other mandates. There is support between those who live with and through the disease. Families see the nuanced changes in family members with Parkinson’s. And still we live our lives, each day and every hour with hope that there will be progress identifying a cure.

Though the news has not mentioned this as Parkinson’s
Awareness Month, I will be an advocate. As no elected official, from Mayor, City Council, County Council, State Representative or State Senator, and even the Governor mention nothing, I will speak out. Even still, the local media outlets from the local newspaper to the radio stations to broadcast televisions have not written or spoken a word about the impact of Parkinson’s in the community, I will stand up.

It is my choice to speak out, to speak up and most importantly to show up and boldly declare that even though my voice may quiet, my gait may be unsteady I will not give up. I will live!

Red tulip. International emblem for Parkinson’s Disease.

Reviving Old Shed Doors: My Journey

The author reflects on their old shed doors, which became bowed and detached over time. Initially sturdy, the doors were eventually replaced after nearly 25 years. They ponder what to do with the heavy, worn doors, describing them as both cumbersome and a nostalgic reminder of the past.

It’s just something that I stop and think about. These are the doors that were on my shed. Heavy and solid. Over time, they started to bow. They pulled away from the screws that held the hinges to the shed. They were not working as well as they did in the past. My best guess is that the shed was built in 2000. So, it has been up for almost a quarter of a century. And with the weather here in Western Indiana, it has fared well. I did replace them with new-er constructed doors.

What do you do with the older doors? I can’t use them; they are heavier than I can safely maneuver. Two six foot doors. Worn blue gray paint. Heavy hinges. A portal to the past. Looking for two doors?

Juggling Parkinson’s: Health Updates, Culinary Ventures, and Household Responsibilities

So, you might wonder if I have been and what’s going wrong. Well, let me tell you a little story. 

Medical updates

This month has been a month of medical appointments. I have a lot of medical appointments, and that’s putting my priorities elsewhere, but only for a bit of time. See, this is the month where I’ve had to deal with more speech issues, an MRI, issues with my right hand, and problems with joints in the right hand. Two group appointments with speech pathology. It is important to remember that as Parkinson’s continues to impact movement, it also softens the volume and distinctness of my voice. Then, on the day of dermatology appointments, I checked on the chunk they took out of my left facial cheek. The biopsy came back with noncancerous carcinoma. However, several spots had to be frozen and will be monitored. I was given a new prescription to add to my regimen. Then, I’m meeting with the surgeons to look at the issues with the left hand. I’m sorry, the right hand will be up soon after that talk with the podiatry. I have some problems with my feet, so it’s full of medically-related things happening; it’s just how things are. See, Parkinson’s continues to let me know just when I think things are the same change. Never would I have envisioned that Parkinson’s would be so interwoven into life, my life. It will not stop me. It will never define me.

Culinary adventures

In the meantime, I’ve found a couple of exciting recipes. A cherry almond bread, banana bread, zucchini bread, but this time with fresh, dark cherries and toasted almonds. Cedar plank smoked salmon with a ginger sesame glaze served with a fresh cucumber dill salad. It’s pretty good stuff if I do say so myself. I think I probably put up about five batches of pickles so far. My cucumber vines have produced more this year than any other year. I’ve lived here. I’ve done some fermented pickles, some called cucumber slices, with more of a cross between an excellent kosher deal and a crisp dill. I have at least maybe one or two more batches to go. Check this morning; the cucumber vines have at least another batch waiting. The church ice cream social will be this month, requiring a batch from the ice cream maker. Wonder what fruits will be fresh and available next week. Culinary adventures have always been ways for me to focus on something other than Parkinson’s disease.

Conversely, tomatoes are very plentiful, nice-sized, and green. Not a red tomato insight yet. So when those change color, I will be processing a lot of tomatoes; I see I’ll have a lot of tomato sauce for at least a year or so. The hot peppers are probably the most interesting. The ghost peppers are plentiful green, maybe 2 inches long. That will be some hot stuff!

Around the house

In addition to medicine or medical activities and garden activities, there are the wonderful continuing activities of home ownership. I realized I could not mow the grass anymore; someone was cutting the grass for me now. Several other tasks around the house need to be completed, some of which I need to finish and some of which I need to find someone to do. My to-do list grows. My it’s done list needs to be growing. People to make that happen are seemingly overbooked or unavailable it seems. With tenacious persistance this will occur. With that going on in my life, I hope you understand why I’ve been absent. Things will get better soon. And I’ll have time to get back to what I started. I am sharing a story with you and connecting with you as well.