Yesterday was the five-year anniversary of when I started writing this blog. At the time, I had been doing the Recipe for six months. Here is what I was talking about when this blog began.
“Hi.
I turned 49 years old two days ago. 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 look forward to a meaningful dialogue.
All my best,
Howard”
So, here we are five years later. The meaningful dialogue has been taking place. I am grateful for all of you.
Please take a look at one of the things I wrote about:
“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.”
1. “I am doing my best.” You all are doing your best, and your best is good enough.
2. I had not experienced symptom relief even six months into doing the Recipe. Many of you are facing this exact same situation.
3. “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.” My goal was not symptom relief. My goal was to be recovered. I knew it was a long-term solution and that I had to listen to the messages from the inside.
4. It worked. I was my own Parkinson’s cure.
5. You are your own Parkinson’s cure. Know it and be it.
Thank you for five years of a wonderful dialogue.
You can do this!!!
Is Parkinson’s Curable? Yes!
They say incurable. We say, “YES, IN CURABLE!”
They say impossible. We say, “YES, I’M POSSIBLE!”
So, embrace the Recipe and chant with me:
“Parkinson’s is curable.
I am my own Parkinson’s cure.
I am halting, slowing, and reversing the progression of my Parkinson’s.
I am extraordinary.
I am recovery.
AND, I AM WORTH IT!!!”
All my best,
Howard
Congratiulations, Howard!
And thanks for starting this.
Eventhough I am getting slower and stiffer I feel and believe there is healing going on.
This has a lot to do with your uplifting inspiring words and recipe.
Thank You
Sylvia
The Netherlands
Hi Howard, I am blessed to have found you.
Well done for 5 years of inspiration to so many.
With Love and Gratitude,
Karen xx
What a HUGE inspiration you are, Howard. I am happy to count myself among the hundreds of persons who follow your lead, knowing that PD is NOT incurable, knowing that healing IS a vibrant possibility.
HAPPY FIFTH BIRTHDAY FPDF!!!!! Thank YOU Howard for your resolve, courage, fortitude, faith, passion, love, coaching and the commitment and compassion that your blogs bring to each and everyone of us in the FPDF Community. Love, Barry
Happy Birthday Howard’s Blog, so glad to have found you!
Howard. Thank you for sharing your journey with us all. If I hadn’t found this blog I think I may not have had the confidence to persevere as I do knowing that you and the rest of the community are supporting me. Your blog is priceless and I’m truly grateful for it.
Peace and blessings to you all.
Waseema
Hi Howard, Waseema and community, I’d like to say that Waseema has said exactly what I feel and would like to say.
Happy Birthday Blog! Big celebration!
Halting, slowing and reversing sounds good to me. It’s been 14 years since my initial diagnosis. At a recent neurologist’s appointment it was declared that I had a “mild case of Parkinson’s” and to keep on doing whatever I’m doing! Perseverance to the recipe obviously pays and Howard’s continuous support is invaluable. Congrats on the 5 years, Howard.
Hi Lynn , After I started the Recipe for Recovery , the neurologist I saw also told me to keep doing whatever I was doing….and I recovered completely with Howard as my guide and the Recipe for Recovery as my instruction manual. May you do the same, Lynn! May you do the same!!
Congratulations, Howard…and deep gratitude… mostly, I benefit because, with your ongoing support, I am finding it so much easier to maintain an optimistic and happy outlook on life….on Tuesday, I was enjoying a lunch with my dear husband at a local coffee house. A man (a customer whom I had never met before) approached me to say he had noticed my PD symptoms but also noticed that I seemed relaxed and happy and that I “was obviously taking care of myself”. He had tears in his eyes… I asked if he had a family member with PD and he nodded…. he was too choked to speak but really he just wanted to acknowledge me and my efforts to manage PD. We hugged and went on with our day…a day so much sweeter because he was willing to be vulnerable and real …. and I was able to take in and celebrate his appreciation.
Hi Howard, I am grateful to God for having found you. For the past 4 years not a day went by where I did not look out for something out there that could bring light and finally I found you, Howard. You are God sent for me.
Congrates on completion of 5 years.
Congratulations, Howard, on the fifth anniversary of the blog. What you have done in these five years!!! How the community has grown! Could you even have imagined it when you started out?
I am so grateful everyday for the good fortune of finding you and the blog on the Internet. I would never have imagined feeling grateful to the Internet, but it is so amazing that through this tool you are able to touch all of our lives so profoundly.
In another time, you might have recovered, and only been able to tell people you came in direct contact with. Now you reach out to a community all over the world.
Thank you so much, Howard, for sharing your experience with us, for encouraging us.
Thank you, Howard, for your honesty, your bravery and your inspiration.
You a a true friend, and I love you dearly!
Well said!! Thanks Marie.
Thank you Howard for your good work, and thank you all kind friends you are all an inspiration.x
Dear Howard,
Enormous big congratulations on your blog and the five years of giving, helping, and inspiring so many around the world! You are unique and special and a godsend to each of us. I would not be doing this well and feeling as healthy as I feel if it were not for your generosity. Somehow it seems I missed your birthday, so a very Happy Healthy Wonderful Curable, Possible, Open Hearted Birthday to you!!! Smile Dear Friend as you inspire me to smile, you have given the more than imaginable to me and us all!
Recipe for Howard’s Birthday and the Fighting Parkinson’s Drug Free Blog Birthday –
One gigantic heart filled dose of Love and Gratitude.
Always.
Love, Love, Love,
Susana
Very big congratulations for 5 years Howard of continuing to serve, inspire is and be inspired by your soul. What a gift it was you having the wisdom and strength and courage to find a cure for not only yourself but all of us. I am on Recovery road walking talking and being healed. Thank you I love and appreciate you. And all who gather here. Hip hip hooray! Love Helen Australia
congratulations howard.
Ditto to Marie’s comment about “who would have ever thought your blog would have grown to reach so many”, Howard, I thank God every day for guiding me to you! I honestly shudder to think where I’d be without your hope and inspiration and constant support and proof that full recovery is possible! With overwhelming love and gratitude!
You are such a gift to our world Howard.
Thank you so much
Hi Howard,
I feel so blessed to have you and this blog in my life. I can just see you with that big, bright smile of yours on your face, as you read about and feel the love of just a few of the many people that you have inspired and helped. Thank you for sharing your patience, dedication, compassion, love and ongoing inspirational knowledge of what it takes to be Parkinson’s FREE !! I am sending a big bright smile right back at you……….. I am very grateful for all that you have done and continue to do !!!!
Sending Love and Blessings to all,
Have a great weekend doing the Recipe , and getting closer to full Recovery
Debbie
Dear Howard,
Your blog is a SAVER for all of us. Congratulations with 5 years of hard work!
I still remember that day , years ago, that after searching every possible help for my husband , I founded your website , and that is what I was looking for years before.
Thank you very much . We are all blessed. Please, continue your guidance.
Howard me uno a las felicitaciones de mis compañeros de viaje , y les quiero platicar que mis hermanos hicieron una tregua a los medicamentos por tres meses , para que yo siga haciendo la receta y ademas un tratamiento de acupuntura y masajes.
Translation:
Howard I join the congratulations of my companions, and I want to talk to my brothers and make a truce to medicines for three months, so I keep doing the recipe and also an acupuncture treatment and massage.
Good for you Jimmy! Pleased you are not giving into the pressure. This is YOUR journey. May you see a turn in the road soon! 🙂
thank you, nice karen, how have you been?
I am extremly slow and freezing at the moment Jimmy, but very focused on going within to my soul for strength. I trust my soul, I trust my God. They both guided me to Howard who gave me The Recipe and his wisdom and belief in me. This community of Warriors also gives me breath strength Jimmy. We Will cross the finish line.:-)
i am so sorry Karen About fisical condition, but i feel your big soul. ……are you in drugs? cann you walK?
No Jimmy I am not on drugs. My walk is at a snails pace but I know it is part of my journey. My body is clearing meridians at moment so mobility is not a priority, and I am ok with that. It is all part of the healing. Take care.
Dear Howard, dear all, thank you for all your uplifting words, your support and encouragement. Lets continue to do the recepy and strenghten each other.
Best wishes from the Netherlands.
Hans
Bravo jimmy!
I am with you. I too will start the recipe again even if I must battle with tiredness and rise at 5am to find the time. No more excuses in Howards words. We can do it! We are worth it!
Love to all
Bravo Mayarita, you are worth the effort. 🙂
congratulations mayarita , you are great. thanks for your words
Thank you Karen. Thank you jimmy. We are all in this together brave warriors. You are all great!
Thank you Howard!
You are an inspiration to all of us.
Blessings
Barbara
Hi!
I’m new here and got diagnosed with PD in august 2014. I have mild symptoms so far, light tremor and rigidity in my right arm and leg. I recently found this website and started doing the receipe a few days ago. I feel encouraged and motivated and look forward to beeing part of this community. Happy anniversary Howard, you seem to do a great job!
Best regards,
Jessica, 42, Sweden
Welcome Jessica, you are so fortunate to have found Howard so near your diagnosis. I often wish I had found Howard back in 2012 when I was diagnosed and had early symptoms. I do also know that everything happens when it was meant too and I have experienced healing on other levels along the way. We are a great bunch of warriors here and Howard is a diamond. 🙂
With you in spirit Jessica.
Karen ( I’m 50) x
Thank you so much Karen! I warms my heart to read your kind words. All the best to you!
/Jessica
I echo what Melanie said, “I shudder to think where I’d be” without the recipe and Howard’s encouragement, inspiration, example, loving heart. Congrats’, Howard!
Singin’ Pete’s song through bout with ‘fibromyalgia’ kicked up from Recipe ‘twists’ Healing crisis ! Love