Fighting Parkinson’s, and where it all began, part 3

Seven years ago, I began doing the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®. Of course, back then it did not have a name…it was just what I was doing. At the same time, I began keeping a hand-written Parkinson’s Daily Journal. It is time to share my journal with all of you. Here is my September 30, 2009 journal entry, seven years ago today.

“09/30/09. Got up at 4. This is my worst day so far. Hard to get off the bed and whole body is tight and aching. Hard to get dressed. Hard to get downstairs. I follow the same routine every morning – out of bed, get dressed, go downstairs, use bathroom and put on contacts, go to kitchen and turn on espresso machine. I look at the clock as the machine takes 10 minutes to warm up.

Every day the clock shows 4:04 or 4:05. Today it showed 4:08. I am hopeful that the slowdown is a result of the Qigong performed yesterday. I have found that releasing toxins always makes me worse before I get better. I can only hope this will be the same.

Performed the Kidney Qigong. Kidneys are aching, which is a good thing.

At 10am, I started feeling a little lightheaded so I ate a banana and the extra vegetables Sally set aside after she prepared our lunch. She told me they could be my “elevens-ees.” They were my “second breakfast.” [“elevens-ees” and “second breakfast” are Lord of the Rings references to extra meals].”

I have to tell you all that I laughed when I read this. In the beginning of this journal entry, I wrote, “This is my worst day so far.” When I woke up that morning, I had been doing the Recipe two days only. What was I expecting after two days? To be feeling better? Oh, my!

And it was a big eye-opener to read how much of my perfectionist adrenaline-mind was controlling me in the early parts of my recovery: “I follow the same routine every morning – out of bed, get dressed, go downstairs, use bathroom and put on contacts, go to kitchen and turn on espresso machine. I look at the clock as the machine takes 10 minutes to warm up. Every day the clock shows 4:04 or 4:05. Today it showed 4:08.”

So, my friends, feel free to laugh with me as well. This brings me to another point, laughter. Two weeks ago, our fellow warrior Lynn in Canada told me a very funny story relating to her Parkinson’s.

We had such a good laugh together. Then she suggested that maybe I could invite anybody who had a funny story to relate regarding his or her Parkinson’s to post it as a comment on the blog. I told her it was a good idea, and when the time felt right, I would do it.

Yesterday in her comment, Trish in Colorado wrote, “Laughter is supposed to be healing. If we can laugh now and then at our predicament maybe we’ll be symptom free sooner.”

Okay. The time is right. I invite anybody who has a funny story to relate regarding your Parkinson’s to post it as a comment below. We can all laugh together at each other’s stories. I agree with Lynn and Trish, every one of us could use a good laugh.

You are worth it!!!

All my best,

Howard

Please note: I will be posting one post per day through the middle of November. If you subscribe to receive email notifications when I post new blog posts and you would prefer to not receive those daily email notifications, simply send me an email at howard@fightingparkinsonsdrugfree.com, and let me know that you do not wish to receive a daily email with a link to each post. I will remove you from the list through the middle of November and add you back on the list after the middle of November. However, I still would recommend you checking the blog on a regular basis as it will contain very useful information for understanding my journey and helping with your journey.