Two years ago today, I started this blog. At the time, I had been doing the Recipe for Recovery for six months, having started it in September of 2009 when I realized I had Parkinson’s. Much has changed in these last two years, but my reason for writing and my message have remained the same.
Here is what had to say on March 25, 2010:
“In November of 2009, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. My mother had Parkinson’s for 24 years before she died, and a couple of months before receiving my official diagnosis, I was pretty much certain I had it.
My mother was not diagnosed with Parkinson’s right away, and she had been put on drug treatments prior to her Parkinson’s diagnosis. She responded well to the initial Parkinson’s medications, and hence received her diagnosis. She fought a long and valiant fight, but in the end, it seemed like the drugs took their toll and played as much a part in her passing as did the disease itself.
I am fortunate to have learned from her experiences and her courage, and I am fortunate that her Parkinson’s specialist is located in my city — he is my Parkinson’s specialist now.
I am doing my best to fight this drug free. Admittedly, my movements are slow, my balance is not good, I have regular nagging pain, and I tire much more easily than before. However, I have decided to listen to these messages my body is sending me and work toward a long-term solution from a holistic perspective. I am interested in sharing my experiences to help others and I am interested in hearing others’ experiences to help me and anybody else who reads this blog.
All I can do is share what I am doing…what works and what does not. Everybody who suffers from Parkinson’s suffers in a different way. Obviously, if something I am doing looks like giving a try, let your doctor know what you are thinking about doing. I am not a doctor, and I am not advocating you do anything that you and your doctor have not discussed. My doctor is fantastic and has given me the green light to explore the approaches I will be describing in later posts.
I would not be able to fight this fight if it were not for the love of my wonderful wife and children, as well as my extended family and friends. I have many blessings in this life, and I feel that Parkinson’s is just a roadblock…not an immoveable object.”
I am living proof, “that Parkinson’s is just a roadblock…not an immoveable object.” Of course, in life, generally when we reach a roadblock, we look for an alternative route of travel and off we go to continue our journey.
Not with Parkinson’s.
When we reach the point in life where our road is blocked by Parkinson’s, and we click the button on our GPS for an alternative route, the voice on the GPS says, “Sorry, there are no alternative routes. This is your path in life and you cannot get off. Parkinson’s is blocking the path. However, Parkinson’s is just a roadblock…not an immoveable object.”
When I looked around two years ago, I didn’t see any of you…it was a very lonely feeling to be the only one doing the Recipe for Recovery. When I look around now, I see a community of people doing the Recipe for Recovery and fighting their Parkinson’s; you are not alone! There are 55 people who are doing the Recipe for Recovery who have posted comments on this blog. There are at least an equal amount of people who have sent me emails telling me they are doing the Recipe for Recovery and improving their Parkinson’s. My site statistics say there are thousands of visits to this blog every month.
So, know this: Parkinson’s is just a roadblock…not an immoveable object, and you are not fighting this fight alone. We are fighting this fight together, and we are winning!
“I have the power to heal myself.” And I did.
“You have the power to heal yourself.” Marie did, and you are.
“Together we have the power to heal the world.”
Let’s keep this hope alive!
Aren’t you worth it?
All my best,
Howard
Thank you Howard…yes, of course I am worth it and so is everyone…it takes courage to follow a different path than the prescribed one and I am committed to this recipe for recovery because it absolutely fits as the best possible thing I could be doing for myself…I feel heartened as I recognize this and own it. Thank you for being a trail blazer…. thank you for your clarity of vision to help others as you help yourself….thank you for building this community. It is so wonderful to have company on this incredible journey.
Very gratefully
Penny in Canada
Your inspiration reaches beyond all those who are recovering from Parkinson’s with your help and support and includes those of us who are interested in understanding what true healing requires. You have shared and taught so much with your insights, wisdom and courage. Happy blog anniversary – a wonderful milestone. May your blog continue to reach everyone who is in need and inspire them to begin their recovery as you have done for so many already.
Happy Blog Anniversity! Two years!
Thanks you so much, Howard, for your inspiring example and your generosity in sharing your experience with all of us. I appreciate Linda’s words about understanding true healing. The Recipe for Recovery and your support provided what I needed to recover from my Parkinson’s symptoms while opening whole new areas of life for me. Symptom-free, my Qigong and meditation practices and what I have learned along this path so far are helping me to become healthier and more “wholesome” overall. I would not have embraced the important changes in my life without a huge motivation. On each level…Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, and physical….. Still learning, still growing.
so grateful
…..and definitely worth it!!
Looking forward to many more anniversaries
Celebrated with a growing community
Love and best wishes, Marie
Thank you for giving us many wonderful things to celebrate Howard – a community of recovering trailblazers (so comforting to read the posts of fellow recoverers!), a recipe for recovery (a way out of this odd quagmire), an enlightened perspective of our situation that we may grow in ways we had never imagined – and you Howard! (now Marie too!) for holding up the light that illuminates this path we travel- not only towards a future free of PD, but a life free from the tyranny of destructive thoughts and emotions. May we all share in the joy of our own recovery anniversaries and help others as Howard has helped us!
Hi Penny, Linda, Marie and Bailey,
I am overwhelmed! I am grateful for all of you. I am grateful that we, and others, can exist together. We are connected in Parkinson’s, in Parkinson’s recovery, and in life. As I read your words, each of you, I feel love and joy and gratitude and happiness flowing over me. I am certain it is flowing over everybody who is reading your words and feeling your heart-felt messages, and they are being helped in their recovery. You have showered us all in dopamine and joy…and it feels wonderful!
With gratitude and love,
Howard
Howard
Happy Blog Anniversary too!
Thankyou Howard, Marie and all those contributing to and reading this Blog site.
It is so lovely to share in this community of fellow travellers along the journey we are on. Although some of us are are world away from each other physically, we are as close as a touch of a button (mouse), for sharing advice and support.
How great is that!!
Love to all,
Ainsley
Thank you, Ainsley,
I am happy to hear from you. I know you are continuing to give this fight your best efforts and you are winning!
With gratitude and love,
Howard