Fighting Parkinson’s, and your attitude

Many times, I have pointed out this formula: Faith. Attitude. Action. Progress. Cure. In my previous post, Fighting Parkinson’s, and a faith over fear refresher, I provided a number of posts on how faith drives this recovery and how fear derails it. Today, I want to take another look at attitude, and how your attitude sits right next to your faith in driving your recovery.

On May 10, 2010, when I still had Parkinson’s, I entered a blog post as follows:

“I have received very nice off-line feedback regarding keeping a positive attitude and how big a part this plays in fighting Parkinson’s or any other disease. It reminded me of an article I read months ago where the author said he noticed that if he spoke to somebody with cancer, they would refer to their condition as “I’m fighting cancer.” The author said that people with Parkinson’s would respond, “I have Parkinson’s Disease.” It struck a nerve with me when he concluded that cancer sufferers are fighters and expect to prevail over their disease, and that Parkinson’s sufferers accept the fact that they have an incurable disease and do not expect to prevail, so why fight it. This should help you understand the importance to me of the title of my blog.

On this point, I am going to explain the Parkinson’s symptom of rigidity and how it impacts me. First, here is a good definition:

•Rigidity. Rigidity, or a resistance to movement, affects most parkinsonian patients. A major principle of body movement is that all muscles have an opposing muscle. Movement is possible not just because one muscle becomes more active, but because the opposing muscle relaxes. In Parkinson’s disease, rigidity comes about when, in response to signals from the brain, the delicate balance of opposing muscles is disturbed. The muscles remain constantly tensed and contracted so that the person aches or feels stiff or weak. The rigidity becomes obvious when another person tries to move the patient’s arm, which will move only in ratchet-like or short, jerky movements known as “cogwheel” rigidity. http://seniorhealth.about.com/od/parkinsnonsdisease/a/park_symp.htm

I have rigidity in my arms, legs, and upper back into my shoulders. Last week, a friend asked me to explain my rigidity so he could get a better sense of what I am experiencing.

1. My arms — the next time you sit down to eat, pick up some food with your utensil, and while holding your utensil just above the plate or bowl, flex and tighten every muscle in your arm from your shoulder to the grip on the utensil. While maintaining this, try to get the utensil with the food to your mouth. My arms are tight like this all the time.

2. My legs — stand as straight as you can and then put a little bend in your knees. Next, flex your calves and thighs. Now, try to walk. Or do this in front of the stairs and see if you can walk up the stairs without holding on. When you add the symptom of very poor balance to the formula, you can see why leaning forward when walking and holding on when going up the stairs are commonplace among those fighting Parkinson’s. My legs are tight like this all the time.

3. My upper back — it is tight and hurts all the time. I really do not have a good example for you to emulate.

Having a positive attitude is the key to everything. My mind and body have accepted the pain, so I am not consumed by it every waking moment. Deciding every day that Fighting Parkinson’s drug free is a fight worth fighting is what keeps me going. Quite frankly, getting to spend time with Sally and the children to celebrate Mother’s Day yesterday is really what keeps me going.”

There are some very important things to note when reading that post. First, as you can see, I was physically in very bad shape. Movement was extremely difficult. Second, at the time I wrote that post, I had been doing the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery^&#0174 for 7 and 1/2 months.

Third, my faith and my attitude made me not afraid that my symptoms were the worst they had been the entire time I had the disease: “My mind and body have accepted the pain, so I am not consumed by it every waking moment.” I knew I would be cured one day and I accepted that whatever was happening to me physically was a necessary part of my recovery.

Fourth, one month later, I was fully recovered. Side note: Since the only time I have done the Recipe in the last 4 years subsequent to my recovery has been to prepare for a workshop, and since not one single sign or symptom of Parkinson’s has returned as has been medically documented twice by neurologist, I am cured of Parkinson’s.

When you look at the first part of the quoted post above, I am certain you are thinking that there was no way this guy could be fully recovered in one month. That is the power of faith and attitude…and acceptance, as a part of the formula: Faith. Attitude. Action. Progress. Cure..

When you are doing the Recipe:
Your faith says, “I know I will be cured.”
Your attitude says, “Even during the roughest of times, I will keep my faith and keep a positive attitude.”
Your acceptance says, “Whatever is happening to me physically, whether I like it or not, or whether I understand it or not, I accept that it is necessary for my recovery.”
Your fear says, “_____.” NOTHING! When you combine your unwavering faith, your positive attitude, and your acceptance of what is happening in our life, you come to realize exactly what I told you in the previous post:

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR WITH THIS RECOVERY!

You are alive, and fear is dead!!! Simple as that. It is your mind that gives fear life. Lose your mind and come to your senses. Let go of the fear and live your life to its fullest. Do not be afraid of life, do not be afraid of Parkinson’s, and do not be afraid of symptoms.

Okay? OKAY!!!

Let’s chant this together one more time:

I have the power to heal myself.
Parkinson’s is curable.
I have the power to cure myself.
Parkinson’s is a symptom of my life out of balance.
The tortoise is my cure.
I am the tortoise.
I am curing myself with each small advance I make in the moment.
Just like the tortoise, I move slowly and steadily, and I realize that I cannot worry too much about the bumps in the road. Instead, I know that every step I take toward the finish line is recovery, in and of itself, and I settle in and enjoy the journey.
In each step, I see love and joy and laughter and gratitude and fulfillment and compassion and contentment.
Oh, yes, and then the tortoise wins the race.
Oh, yes, and then I win the race and achieve my cure.
Fear is not real. It is a creation of the mind that exists in the past and the future; it does not exist in the moment.
Faith is absolutely what exists in the moment.
A positive attitude is absolutely what exists in the moment.
Acceptance of what is happening right now is absolutely what exists in the moment.
I choose faith.
I choose a positive attitude.
I choose acceptance.
I am recovery.
I am worth it.

YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

All my best,

Howard