It’s almost six years since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. I’ve come a long way since then. Although my movements may be slower than before (and they may sometimes be jerky), for the most part I felt like I was moving forward. However, when I look back at this year, I feel that I’ve almost come to a standstill. It’s like I’ve been stuck in ‘struggling mode’ and I haven’t been able to shift gear and move forward.
However, having learned about apathy and motivation at a Fighting Fit* reunion at the weekend, I now realise apathy is a very real thing and common in people with Parkinson’s (and not just me being lazy). Looking back at this year, I think I have been struggling with apathy as well as Dyskinesia. Now I have recognised this, I can start to do something about it. Step by step and using some techniques we were given, I am hopeful that I will start to feel more motivated to move forward, rather than stand still and struggle all the time.
One thing I wish would stand still is my Parkinson’s. Unfortunately, being a progressive disease it’s going to keep moving forward. However, I am determined to do everything I can to keep moving and get fighting fit. My aim is to manage my Parkinson’s better, and get back to feeling like myself again, more positive and generally living my life as best as I can and not letting everything revolve around Parkinson’s.
The weekend has helped me to re-focus on the choice I made some time ago, to become more resilient so that I can cope with whatever challenges life may throw at me – Parkinson’s or otherwise.
On the subject of re-focussing, when I started blogging, aside from raising awareness of Young Onset Parkinson’s, my aim was to share any life lessons I have learned through living with Parkinson’s, in case it might help someone. So on that note, I would like to end by re-sharing a few of my previous blogs focussing on life lessons learned from Parkinson’s…
- Changing the way we look at things
- Summer learning, happened so fast
- Lessons learned from Parkinson’s
- Letting go – an important part of moving forward
- Scrabbling to do my best at each new turn
- Standing tall
*Fighting Fit is a residential weekend programme for working age people with Parkinson’s. For more information, visit the Fighting Fit website at:
Living with Parkinson's 
I just want to thank you for your blog. I don’t have Parkinson’s (Thank God!) but many of the life lessons you have talked about apply to other difficult situations and I have found your blogs very helpful and indeed sobering – making me realise that others have much bigger problems than I do and that they are facing them with a very positive approach. I admire you and thank you for using your major disability to help others.
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