The times they are a changing

The times they are a changing: Flogging Molly

Diagnosed: May 25, 2012 Video: July 05, 2023

My life with Parkinson’s is different each day.

Adaptability is a must!

However with every change required by me ,I have found some constants.

I call them my commandments.

My 10 commandments of living with Parkinson’s

1: be a realist not a fatalist

You and the disease are on different paths, going in opposite directions.

This means that the gap between it and us is going to increase over time. The best we can do is try and limit the growth of the gap.

Envision a straight line 12 inch’s long

Mark “0” in the middle

From the “0” along the line, mark 1 to 6,in one inch increments . Going in opposite directions. From the zero mark.

Parkinson’s >

-6 -5-4-3-2-1 , 0, 1 2 3 4 5 6

Me trying to slow it<

As you can see every day this gap is going to get wider.

However, this gap doesn’t happen overnight it takes time.

Don’t stop your life,

But,

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TIME!

2: educate yourself

You are not responsible for finding the cure.

Yet the more you know,about the ins and outs , the ons and offs.

The more you can take advantage of them and enjoy your life.

3: expect miracles

Life is full of surprises, your life is still ongoing,these surprises are still ongoing.

Birth of children, Grandchildren,?

My miracles will differ from yours!

All you have to do is,

Go out and find them.

4: communicate

Talk about it, write about it, film it .

Involve others in your experiences.

Our social skills need to be honed and utilized as much as our physical skills.

Being open about your Parkinson’s will create a comfort zone not just for you but for them as well.

This comfortability will make it easier to find those miracles that will be coming your way.

5:exercise

We aren’t exercising to get in better shape.

If getting in better shape is a result. More power to you!

However,

Our exercise is medicinal.

The ordinary in our life now takes extraordinary effort on our part.

Don’t fall into the traps of making our day easier,

Tie your shoes, button those buttons.

Use it or lose it

6: play safe but take risks

Since Parkinson’s treats us all differently, we must experiment.

When to do things, why we do things, how we do things .

Don’t blindly follow, ask questions

know the purpose of what is being asked of you.

7: don’t strive to be normal

Strive to be ordinary

Normal means common or baseline or expected

Being ordinary makes you a blank canvas.

You are plain, unassuming or undecorated.

You can be anything you want, if you want to.

advantages to being Ordinary

Less pressure

Makes you more open minded

Always growing and learning

World becomes friendlier

8: learn from the past

Use those lessons

So that your engagement in the present

Will prepare you better for the future

9: trust and use your support team

Your support team will only be as good as you allow them to be.

The more you provide them with information and opportunities to help.The stronger they will be .

Remember that they are experiencing turmoil with this Parkinson’s diagnosis as well.

They are there to support you However they will need support from you as well!

10: Learn the way

But more importantly ,

Once you learn the way

Learn you own way

Make the Parkinson’s journey,

YOURS

Have fun and be a warrior