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 November 2, 2009 journal entry, seven years ago today.
“11/02/09. Up at 4. Slow as usual. It is Monday and I am hoping for a good week.
I called Marcie and I am scheduled to see Dr. Sanchez-Ramos on January 28, 2010. I let dad know and he did not seem happy, but what can you do.
Long day – constipation is making me crazy. I hope I will get some relief soon. I ate a plum and 20 black grapes with lunch and a gala apple with dinner. No relief. I hope tomorrow will be better.
Oh yeah, I forgot. Marcie called and I have a neurologist’s appointment on Thursday, 11/05/09, at 2pm. Dad must have a lot of influence at the doctor’s office or I just had good timing with a cancellation.”
I must admit that I was so happy when I couldn’t get in to see the neurologist until January 28, 2010, nearly three months from my call. As most of you know, it is no fun to see a neurologist who does not believe you can get better from Parkinson’s.
The reason I presumed my dad called them to change my appointment is because when I told him that my appointment was on January 28, 2010, his response was, “I can’t wait that long.”
Of course, as you can see, I was still in adrenaline-mind-mode, and abundantly caring what everybody else was thinking, from my dad all the way to the neurologist I had yet to meet. However, the one thing I was certain I never would do “just to make the other people happy” was to take Parkinson’s medications.
As I have written many times and have discussed with quite a few of you, the decision to not take Parkinson’s medications caused a large amount of conflict with family and friends…how sad is that…people being unfriendly because I decided, with full consultation of Sally, to take my own health in my own hands….how sad is that!
Never give up on you.
Also, as I have mentioned previously, I had read about a handwriting test where a sign of Parkinson’s would be a shrinking signature as one moved down the page. As it turns out, I gave myself this test on September 28, 2009, the day I started the Recipe, and then every week through December 21, 2009.
What I am doing here as part of this series is scanning and publishing for you my September 28, 2009 along side the weekly handwriting. Then you can look at the September 28, 2009 sample (the baseline) and the one that will correspond to the date of the post from 7 years earlier.
Click the link below to access the pdf of the September 28, 2009 and November 2, 2009 handwriting samples. The next sample set will be posted next week on November 9, 2016.
parkinsons-handwriting-11-02-09
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.
It’s been six years ago today since I was diagnosed with pd and I
can recall an event ten years prior when under great stress I had
a tremor, so I have had parkinson’s for a long time and am so
tired of fighting the fight. But with the recipe and the Godsend
Howard I will struggle on. Without the Hope the recipe gives
life would be unbearable. You would never know it by looking
at me but I feel good and I just used my right hand to type.
Some scripture that keeps me going. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the
Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
acknowledge him in all that you do and he will make your paths
straight. Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love the Lord who are called according
to his purpose.
Those are wonderful verses, Ken. Thank you!
I find it helpful to memorize parts of the Bible. So powerful, especially in light of recent mentions of neuroplasticity.
My latest memory verse is Acts 2:28 “instead, You direct me on a path that leads to a beautiful life. As I walk with You, the pleasures are never-ending, and I know true joy and contentment.”
A lot of my friends, family and people think I’m crazy not to take medication, but I know in my heart that I am doing the right thing and when you know something in your heart when you feel something you have to stick by it, your body will never steer you wrong. Our mind is filled with lies but the body always tells the truth.
Thanks for sharing your story Howard, am really appreciating it.
I’m beginning to wonder whether I need these kinds of friends and family. Exactly what kind of a friend is it? That’s not how I’d treat my friends.
Thanks, Howard!
The encouragement that both Don and I receive from these blogs is huge. To me, as the wife of a Parkinson’s person, it also helps me on many levels.
Don says that he will not take any medication. Fortunately, his neurologist said that Don could take them or not. Don said, “No thanks!” We stay away from negative relatives and negative friends. We spend a lot of time alone but life is dramatically improved without the naysayers. It is refreshing how the non-judgemental people seem to surface once the negative ones are gone.
Blessings to all of us,
Karen and Don
Thank you Howard for having the courage to abstain from PD med’s, for then and thus searching out and finding your Recipe, and for disseminating these to us and others. And thank all of you for posting your inspiring stories.
And now that I thought of it…I too had a win to share! I’ve been struggling with Sciatica for the past 5 weeks on top of my PD symptoms. And also I have been trying to add more and more parts of the recipe, so last night I decided to endeavor to add the “Acupressure for tremors: Governing Vessel, GV2-20. (5 minutes in the evening).”
I found a drawing online of the GV acupuncture or acupressure points (same as Du channel or Du meridian) and printed it out. I then ensured all the locations 2-20 were labelled with their numbers on the chart so my wife could massage these points. (I have been doing extensive work on my Sciatica every day since hurting my back on October 1st.) Then tonight I coached my wife in massaging these acupoints GV (or Du) 2-20. The five minutes flew by, so we did a bit more.
It worked great! And my Sciatica feels better than it has in 5 weeks! THIS, though perhaps only tangentially rooted in PD nonetheless affects my PD with added severe pain and stress. So up is up! Forward is forward! Progress is progress!