Fighting Parkinson’s, and where it all began, part 6

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 October 3, 2009 journal entry, seven years ago today.

“10/03/09. Saturday. Slept in until alarm rang at 7. Sally headed to Orlando for Genevieve and friends to get homecoming dresses. I did not see any difference in how I felt getting up at 7 versus 4. Victoria and I are going to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch…what a treat. I love their white bean hummus. It cannot hold a candle to Sally’s hummus, but it is very good and it is something I can eat in a restaurant and still eat healthy food.

Victoria and I are back home. She had a cheese pizza for lunch, and then we went to Westshore Plaza to get her new earrings. They are musical notes and she looks pretty. We stopped and picked up dog food, went to Blockbusters to rent a movie and then went back home.

Steven kept me apprised of USF’s score (college football game of his college, University of South Florida, USF) via texting, and Victoria and I put on the TV and watched the 4th Quarter as USF won the game and got a 5-0 record. Steven is very excited.

Did the liver and kidney Qigong again, felt really good as it had been a long day. We had chicken and baked potatoes (not a vegetarian yet) for dinner. It was so good. Watched a movie with Victoria. 10pm and heading to bed.”

I do not have a lot to add to this journal entry. A couple of things jump out at me. Sleeping in until 7 instead of getting up at 4 made no difference in how I felt. Getting up at 4 provided me ample time to do the Recipe prior to everybody else in the house waking up, so at least I knew that getting up at 4 was not hurting me.

Also, I have written many times that part of the recovery is to realize that the journey is your life. This was a wonderful day to just be a dad and not have Parkinson’s on my mind. At that time, Victoria was 12, Genevieve 16, Steven 18. I had a day of one-on-one time with my 12-year-old, and that was just fine with me.

Please do your best to know this: You are so much more than your Parkinson’s symptoms. The journey is your life. Please do your best to live your life to the fullest every day.

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.