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 17, 2009 journal entry, seven years ago today.
“11/17/09. Up at 4. Eight hours in bed. Got up a few times to use the bathroom, but no problem going back to sleep.
I feel rested and stiff…slow moving, but the weighted feeling of yesterday is gone. Got to the kitchen at 4:09. Expecting a great day today.”
I listened to my body the day before and went to bed at 8pm. Apparently, I needed the extra rest.
As you can see from the title of today’s post, my 51-day Parkinson’s Daily Journal came to an end. I had written in the daily journal every day for almost two months, and I could write no more. The pain was too intense and barely anything was readable after the first two letters of each word. It took a large dose of faith to continue with the Recipe at that point, but I did.
Hindsight tells me that it was a blessing that I could no longer write in my daily journal. When you read through it as we have together these last 51 days, yes, there is a lot of hope and faith, and there is a lot of love for my wife and children. However, I will have to admit that there is a whole lot of being consumed with living Parkinson’s instead of living life. Looking at it now, I see that I was measuring my deterioration, from how long it took me to get to the kitchen each morning to how stiff I was or how painful my rigidity had become.
I had yet to let go of my perfectionism. Since I was documenting my Parkinson’s recovery, my perfectionism told me that I needed to document everything “perfectly,” right down to each thing I could no longer do each day that I could do the day before, including a full and complete analysis of my symptoms right down to the comparison of “are my symptoms better or worse today than they were yesterday.”
When I could no longer write in the daily journal, I stopped paying so much attention to the minutiae of the symptoms, and I stopped comparing each day to the day before. Since I was not documenting these things on a daily basis, my need to be perfect about what was going on with my symptoms disappeared, and my ability to be in the moment of what I was doing grew. My symptoms became nothing more than a reminder that I had more work to do in my recovery.
I know I had been measuring those things so I would know when I was recovering. How foolish was I. I had overlooked the fact that every day when I woke up and got out of bed and did my Recipe, I was recovering. That’s right, recovering…moment by moment…recovering just in the doing! And, I did my Recipe because I had faith that I would be cured. If you lack faith in your recovery, you stay in bed or you sleep so much you don’t know if it is day or night, and you don’t do the Recipe…what would be the point…you have no faith you will be cured.
Faith is an interesting thing. When you are experiencing wonderful things in life, faith in yourself and your life is easy and natural. When you are experiencing difficulties in life, faith in yourself and your life is difficult and unnatural. Where you make progress in life is when you are experiencing difficulties in life and you still can find faith in yourself and faith in your life.
For those of you who are struggling with your Parkinson’s and shaky with your faith in yourself and your life, please seize this opportunity. Seize the opportunity to begin your recovery by having faith in yourself and faith in your life, which leads to faith in your recovery. Click here and seize the opportunity to make this your November to Remember!
Right here, right now, look inside yourself, find that spark of faith you used to have but misplaced somewhere along the way, and grab onto it, light it up, and say, “I have the power to heal myself.” Please remember to hold onto that spark of faith strongly…you will need it to fight your Parkinson’s on the bumpy road ahead. And while you are holding tightly to your spark of faith, take action against your Parkinson’s, do the Recipe, and be your own cure! You are worth it!
Make the commitment to cure yourself from Parkinson’s!
Okay, everybody, put big smiles on your faces and chant together so the whole world can hear:
“Parkinson’s is curable.
I am my own Parkinson’s cure.
I am slowing, halting, and reversing the progression of my Parkinson’s.
I am extraordinary.
I am recovery.
I am doing great!
AND, I AM WORTH IT!!!”
All my best,
Howard
Dear Howard thank you so much for this post an the previous ones describing how you dealt with Parkinson’s unplugged
You are a great inspiration and I feel very blessed and thankful for these posts
Thank you for doing this Howard!
Bless you Howard for your efforts and love in sharing your journal over the past 51 days. I’ve often wondered how you were so sure from Day 1 that you could recover in a world that says it is incurable? How did you know?
Big Love to you and warriors.
Karen xx
Hi to all. You are welcome. Thank you for your kind words.
Karen,
This is a lengthy explanation. Here is the short version:
It was a feeling I had in my heart, and I followed it with unwavering faith. Plus, my research told me that Parkinson’s was an electrical issue and not a chemical issue. And, the symptoms were from too much toxicity causing an overworked liver, from dietary considerations, and from overworking the mind in adrenaline mode, and not from dead brain cells and diminishing dopamine. From the beginning, I sensed inside me that the dopamine was there, but it was blocked and I needed to unblock the dopamine.
Since the three main causes of what brings symptoms to the surface (listed in the introduction to the Recipe) were things I could fix in me, then I knew that I could heal these causes and be cured. That is why it is a soul, mind, and body recovery. Parkinson’s was a symptom that I was out of balance, and in healing the causes, I knew I would bring balance back to my life, physically, mentally, and spiritually…and be cured.
With gratitude, love, and blessings,
Howard
Dear Howard,
thank you for sharing your daily journal with us, and for commenting it. This has been really inspiring!
Regarding the dopamine that is not depleted but only blocked, I would like to share an own experience. A couple of years ago I was treated by a Bach flower therapist well-known in Germany and in Europe. He has an extraordinary capability of feeling things. For instance, he is able to find the right Bach flowers without conversation, only by his sensitivity. Once when he was working with me, he said he was hearing like a liquid that would flow out of a tube, but couldn’t because the orifice of the tube was closed. Sounds like dopamine not depleted, but only dopamine faucet closed, doesn’t it? This is interesting, because he certainly didn’t know many things about Parkinson’s disease. So he really felt that the dopamine was there!
Love and blessings to you. And thank you again.
Rainer
Amazing, Rainer, thanks for sharing your progress!!
Karen and Don
Thank you Howard, gratitude abounding. And special thanks to Karen for asking this question, and to you for your reply! I think we all appreciate hearing more detail of your journey, and that of others who have partially and or completely conquered PD.
Howard when you say electrical issue, does that mean meridians? And them being blocked and that’s how the recipe heals because we are working with meridians doing the medical qigong?
Big love Karen xx
Yes, Karen. It looks like this:
https://www.fightingparkinsonsdrugfree.com/2013/01/11/fighting-parkinsons-and-how-your-energy-is-flowing/.
Love and blessings,
Howard
Wow Howard, fabulous link! Id never read it before but then I only found you in summer of 2014. Well worth a read warriors! 🙂
Howard everything you say in that link about why we are here etc, I totally agree with. It’s like though after 4 years and 9 months since my diagnosis, that my mind has won as I’m so broken and weak that I have to medicate. My doctor is hoping that the neurologist admits me as I’m so weak from weight loss. ( 38 pounds from tremors and Adreneline movement) It’s such a shame but I need something. I truly see though how my mind has taken over. Xx
Thank you so much for sharing your 51-day Daily Journal!
Thank you so much for these posts Howard! You are inspirational! Sending love and light. Susana
GRACIAS Howard , maravilloso e inspirador post
Translation:
THANK YOU Howard, wonderful and inspiring post
También me recuerdo que lo que estoy experimentando tiene un propósito, que es para guiarme a una conciencia espiritual y al amor a mi mismo y a los demas, estoy siendo guiado hacia la fe . Y dar a mi vida comprensión, paciencia, aceptación y confianza y tener una vida mas sana
Translation:
I also remember that what I am experiencing has a purpose, which is to guide me to a spiritual conscience and to love myself and others, I am being guided to faith. And give my life understanding, patience, acceptance and trust and have a healthier life
Thanks for the inspiration Howard.
Thanks so much for doing this Howard. You are my bright star and I’ve been following you and will continue. My November commitment is to stay positive. I know I will recover and to love myself. I am adding exercises that I hadn’t been doing and increasing reps.
God bless you Howard. I shall miss your daily journal!
Thank you Howard for sharing over the last 51 days. Reading your journal has been enlightening and inspiring. It has given me a deeper understanding of the recipe and strengthened my resolve even further. You are a trailblazer and I’m honoured to be following the road less travelled with you and the rest of the warriors. Finally, congratulations Marie on your 5 year anniversary.
Love and blessings to all
Waseema
Thank you Howard from the bottom of my heart for your courageous journey and sharing it with us. But you deserve a holiday now. It is interesting when people come up to you and say ‘ how are you coping’? I know they mean well and through medical ignorance they see things as they do. My reply is always ‘ I am good, thank you.’ It takes all our spiritual strength to stay the course when you are surrounded by others who hold such a view. But our faith is tested every day we get up and maybe that is a blessing in disguise. So onward and up Howard as you say. Everything passes. God bless you. every
Veronica
I heard what you focus on you become. Focusing on recovery. Thank you Howard for sharing your journal and your journey to recovery and beyond. Love Helen
Wise words! Focus on success!
Thanks, Howard!
Don says: Faith that can move mountains and the recipe can cure Parkinson’s!
Karen says: It makes the Parkinson’s situation so much easier when in contact with others walking down the same road. I truly appreciate all posts, all comments, and the shared hope and love.
Hugs and love to all,
Karen and Don
Thank you so much for these inspirational daily posts over the last 51 days, Howard. I’m going to really miss hearing from you every day.
Anita
Hi to all of you who have been commenting. Thank you for your kind words. I am happy to have assisted and to continue to assist all of you in your journey. Please remember, we are in the middle of a November to Remember 30-day challenge. Let’s make this the best November ever!
Love and blessings,
Howard
Thank you for sharing this with us it’s been wonderful getting this and hearing from you every day. To those who need encouragement I’d say that lately everyone I meet says I’m looking great. This is from sticking to the recipe plus finding every way I can to be kind to myself every single day, to have a moment that is just for you.
Dear Karen in Ireland,
I do hope you’re managing to be kind to yourself and not beating yourself up over needing to take medication. I don’t know whether this is of any help to you, but when my mind gets hold of me and starts shaking me around I find it very helpful to listen to Eckhart Tolle (author of The Power of Now) on youtube.
Take good care of yourself,
Anita
Hi Anita, I love listening to inspiring people on YouTube, I read the book years ago, must give it a listen to again. Thanks Anita, I am being kind to myself, as in, I’ve just had to surrender to what is right now. I’ve spent more time doing the spiritual part of the recipe so I’m looking forward with the meds, to being able to do the physical part again. As Stevie did after 5 years with no meds he went on meds and is now working on decreasing them to eventually get off them again. The hardest part is I’ve become dependent on too many people to help me just do the basics. Howard had Sally, I read with warmth Karen with Don and Werni and Terry etc and having someone close to help you daily must make such a difference. At the moment I have friends n family having to disrupt their lives to take turns to stay with me until I get to the neurologist next week. I’m looking forward to a bit of regular movement. A dream is to give my dogs a little walk like old times. :-). Thanks for your love Anita.xx
Will be thinking about you next week and hoping your appt with your neurologist is fruitful. I remember the most valuable piece of advice Howard gave me when I last saw my neurologist was to feel compassion for him….
Much love.
Anita
Thanks Anita, you’re a honey.
Big love. Karen xx
Dear Karen,
So sorry to hear that you’re having to face so many challenges. Whatever steps you take or decisions you make are the perfect ones for you. Please don’t feel guilty about taking medication. One day the tide will turn as long as you have faith. Praying for you. Stay in touch.
Lots of love
Waseema
xxx
Bless you Waseema and thank you.
Big Love, Karen xx
Thank you Howard!
I loved hearing from you every day. I will miss it.
blessings and love to all.
Barbara