Fighting Parkinson’s, and where it all began, part 30

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 27, 2009 journal entry, seven years ago today.

To begin, thank you all for your kind words in yesterday’s comments and for your kind words to those who sent me emails, texts, and WhatApps. We are a beautiful group of people. I am honored to be hanging out with all of you.

“10/27/16. Up at 3:27 and couldn’t go back to sleep…our little secret! Stayed in bed until 4 when the alarm went off. Spent the 33 minutes stretching my body so as to not wake Sally. Out of bed at 4.

Even with the stretching, still did not make it to the kitchen until 4:08. Learning more about Jin Shin Jyutsu. It holds a lot of answers, so I remain excited.

My lower back and my trunk all around on sides…NOT GOOD, too tight — very painful. It wears me out to walk across the room. At 2:30, did the following really slowly to get the pain to go away: Medical Qigong for Kidneys and for Liver, Near Hand Far Hand (both types), Brain Vibration Chanting, Jin Shin Jyutsu jumper-cabling.

No luck. I felt energized at the end of my hour+ long session, but no change in back and trunk pain and stiffness. I am hopeful that it is just from yesterday’s grocery shopping.”

I have to tell you that I laughed when I read the first sentence. I was the only one reading my Parkinson’s Daily Journal, so when I wrote “our little secret,” I was talking to myself. Over the years, I have expressed the constant need I had for “self-talk.” It is what kept me in my heart by giving myself pep talks, telling myself that this is part your recovery, etc. I have told people that if somebody was watching my home on a daily basis they would have said, “There is a crazy guy living there. He is the only one home and he walks around talking to himself all day.”

Recently, they have given what I did a scientific name…neuroplasticity. In short, it means that your brain is re-trainable, but it requires repetition. It is how I left my mind behind and slowly eased into my heart. Since my mind would always be looking for self-criticisms to hurl at me, I stopped it before it got started by giving praise and gratitude, by singing happy songs, by delivering to myself affirmations and verbal meditations.

My idea was pretty simple: If I could occupy my mind with positive thoughts, then eventually, they would completely replace the negative thought patterns that had gotten ingrained in my subconscious or unconscious. If you decide to re-train your brain, please do it slowly and compassionately…and repeatedly!

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.