Sunday would be my Mom’s 85th birthday if she was still here. She passed away 12 and 1/2 years ago. As you know, having seen her struggles and the sad ending to the life of a beautiful, kind, loving being, I was highly motivated to take a different path than the one being offered; I decided I would solve Parkinson’s Disease. To my Mom, Lorraine, Happy Birthday! You have helped us all.
Here is what I wrote on the blog on my Mom’s birthday in 2010, just a few months after my full recovery:
“My Mom had Parkinson’s for 24 years before she passed away 3 and 1/2 years ago. Today would have been her 76th birthday. Mom, you were a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother, and a kind-hearted soul. You are missed by all.”
Here is an excerpt from my Parkinson’s daily journal {October 6, 2009}:
“Up at 4. After breakfast, talked with Sally and then completely lost it and cried and cried. Some days, she must feel really miserable being with me. She held me and I felt better after we finished talking. Mom would have turned 75 today.”
Parkinson’s is a terrible disease for those who have it, and it is equally a terrible disease for those who love and care for those who have it. It is very difficult to stay on the path to recovery when you are riding the physical and emotional roller coaster of day-to-day living. However, you are living, and how you live is up to you. Sally helped me a lot with this understanding.
Many people believe conceptually that they got the disease when they were diagnosed. I would imagine that you were feeling something was wrong for quite some time before ending up at the Parkinson’s specialist and/or neurologist to finally get diagnosed. As I have mentioned previously, after I recovered and the calluses disappeared from my fingertips, my fingerprint log-in to my computer no longer worked. I had set the fingerprint log in 18 months prior to being diagnosed, and I have no idea how much prior in time to that I had developed the calluses.
The point I am trying to make is this: you did not get Parkinson’s the day you got diagnosed, and it is not going to go away the day after the diagnosis or the day after you first read the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®. The captain of the Titanic only saw the tip of the iceberg, if that, but an ice mountain had been growing for a long time beneath the surface. When Parkinson’s finally breaks through the surface, there are mountains of layers below that need to be dealt with to beat the disease.
You have to decide that you want to win this battle, and you have to chip away at it a piece at a time. To succeed, you need to get on the path to recovery and have faith in yourself. Remember, you have the power to heal yourself. Your Parkinson’s knows it and tries to convince you otherwise.
You need to let your Parkinson’s know it cannot break your resolve. How?
- Do the soul, mind, and body recovery in the Recipe.
- Take 5 minutes each morning and repeat, “I have the power to heal myself.” “I have the power to heal myself.” “I have the power to heal myself.” “I have the power to heal myself.” Don’t stop now, you have 4.75 minutes remaining. Chant it again for 5 minutes in the afternoon or evening, “I have the power to heal myself.” At bedtime, silently chant to yourself, “I have the power to heal myself” and drift off to sleep.
Each time you chant, you are chipping away at the Parkinson’s mountain beneath the surface and coming closer to getting in touch with your Inner Divine; that is where you connect to the “power” in “I have the power to heal myself.” You are on the path to recovery.
On my Mom’s birthday, take a moment and draw some inspiration from her. My Mom was a special lady. She was the kind of Mom who would have traded places with any of her children when we were ill just to relieve us of our suffering.
For 24 years with Parkinson’s, she simply tried to pretend that she was not suffering even though her suffering was apparent to anybody who saw her. She did not want to feel like a burden or have anybody worrying about her. Mom, you never were a burden, and all of us loved you and had compassion for you and for your situation.
To all of you, I share the same sentiment: You are not a burden, and all of the rest of us here love you and have compassion for you and your situation. We are a world-wide, multi-cultural family filled with love and compassion for each other and for ourselves.
You are fighting a difficult fight, so please draw some inspiration from each other and from yourselves. Be inspired by yourself for the courage you are showing on this journey to recovery. You are taking the path least traveled, and having been there myself, I am inspired by each and every one of you.
Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!
Happy life to all of you.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Awww what a wonderful lady she sounds like and how lucky were you to have such a wonderful Mom. I want to thank her, through her suffering she raised your awareness of the disease which helped you develop The Recipe and recover. Now we all are benefitting from this wonderful turn of events. I’m sure she is watching down on you proud as can be as you continue her legacy of compassion xo
Happy birthday Lorraine!
Howard –
As you know, my father had PD too. He took the medication – it didn’t turn out well… I’m so grateful to have the recipe and support of this group. It’s allowing me to make working on my Parkinson’s recovery a real engine for overall positive change in my life – a kind of Parkinson’s recovery plus!
You write, “It is very difficult to stay on the path to recovery when you are riding the physical and emotional roller coaster of day-to-day living. However, you are living, and how you live is up to you.” Well amen to that. It inspires me to say, “Dog gone it, I’m just going to be happier than a fly on a dung heap. To heck with Parkinson’s!”
Love to all on the blog.
Winding up for that leap of faith that choosing happiness is possible,
Chris in Wisconsin
And Happy birthday Lorraine. Thanks for giving us Howard!
Beautiful! Happy Birthday Lorraine. Thank you for the inspiration.
Happy birthday Lorraine, your son is a gift. Happy birthday to my mom who died two years ago, she would be 80 today. She adored life. She Rocked as a mom too, just like Lorraine. She so believed in my ability to recover. I miss her every day.
Big love to all warriors and all your moms here and in spirit.
Karen xx
Happy birthday Lorraine,
Thank you for the inspiration, radiating on all of us through Howard.
I was diagnosed 8 years ago. I was doing the recipe off and on. Never gave it my full 100% commitment.
This changed a few weeks ago. I found a place for myself where I can practice and live focused. My partner and children understand and support what I am doing, from a distance. I feel so blessed doing the recipe.
Thanks for your beautiful, inspiring inspiration! Love Sylvia From the Netherlands
Happy birthday Lorraine. Howard, you had a wonderful mom, she sounds like a very giving person. I want to thank you for the recipe. Everyday I am reminded to live in the now by accepting and surrendering along with gratitude. Having faith in myself and my God has helped me get through some tough times. I know I am getting better. Thank you and bless you.
Thanks and a Happy Birthday to your mom. A roller coaster day of emotions for you dear Howard. Thank you for your inspiration and encouragement, you are always spot on.
HOLA A TODOS A ESTA GRAN COMUNIDAD …..HOLA KAREN TANTO TIEMPO COMO HAS ESTADO…..GRACIAS INFINITAMENTE HOWARD ….MI MAMA MURIO HACE 5 MESE S ELLA CUMPLIRIA 91 AÑOS EN DICIEMBRE
HELLO EVERYONE IN THIS GREAT COMMUNITY… .. HELLO KAREN, GOOD TO SEE YOU… ..IN FULLY HOWARD, THANKS… .MI MAMA MURIO 5 MONTHS AGO SHE WOULD COMPLETE 91 YEARS IN DECEMBER
Howard,
You are a tribute to your Mother’s life!! Your constant support and encouragement is very appreciated and needed!! I will honor your Mother on her birthday by giving thanks to you both!!
Thank you both,
Larry
Happy Birthday Lorraine!!
Great, Howard, that you learned about the illness of your loved Mom, we thank you to have changed your way of life and that you are supporting us all the time💕💕!!
We are lucky people to have met you with the Recipe, thank you very much🙏🙏
Hi Howard and dear friends,
Another wonderful post that reminds me how we are all connected through the generations. I also appreciated reading again that the imbalances that manifest in the symptoms labeled as Parkinson’s have most likely been with us for decades. So naturally it takes time to re-balance our amazing minds, bodies, and spirits. Every morning I wake up excited to see what the new day will bring. It is quite a change from before I started the recipe. Life was drudgery since it was all about pleasing others and shoulds. I’m so glad to have a different way to be.
Love to all, Anne, Portland, Oregon, USA
Wow, Anne! Looks like you’re making great strides. I like the part about, “Every morning I wake up excited to see what the new day will bring.” You’re an inspiration!
With love and blessings,
Chris in Wisconsin
Respected Howard sir, Happy birthday to Lorraine mam, who gave the reason for alternate path, the recipe for recovery in PD.
As you rightly said the roller coaster ride of physical and mental symptoms is really difficult to deal with. Thanks for showing the path of faith when all other means fail. I will chant this mantra given by you..
I HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL MYSELF.
I HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL MYSELF.
I HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL MYSELF.
I HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL MYSELF.
I HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL MYSELF
Regards, Mona
Happy Birthday to your Mum Howard,
and love to you and all fellow travellers, Jan -UK
Thank you dear Howard…I’ll bet many of us identify with your story, your Mom and your journey. I, too, have PD (now for about 19 years) as did my mother. And I am supported so very much by your recipe and your coaching. I feel alive, I have a sense of purpose, and yes, I DO HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL MYSELF
Hi All,
Along with the beautiful, heart-felt comments above, I have received many emails, text messages, and calls regarding this post and my Mom. Thank you very much for all of the love and well-wishes.
I am grateful that you all have opened your hearts to me and the memory of my mother.
Wishing each and every one of you a glorious day!
With gratitude, love, and blessings,
Howard
Howard, thank you for sharing your mom with us!
How is it that each week your blog addresses the exact thoughts I have been ruminating about. The thing about the roller coaster of emotions and physical issues….This week I jumped off the roller coaster and I have reached a new level! I now only focus on all the things that I CAN DO and I have gratitude for all of it! So in addition to telling myself I have the power to heal…I recognize each thing I can do! And I am medical, pain and drug free!
Happy New Year to any of you that celebrate the Jewish New Year! It is a new beginning for me! I have only known about my PD since January 2019, so I am on the road of discovery and recovery (hey that rhymes!). Love to all! Karen from Wisconsin
Wow. Go girl!
Hi Karen, My husband received his diagnosis in January also and there have been a lot of tears, hugs and affirmations. The Lord has promised he will heal my husband and I believe this is the answer he sent to us. That he created our bodies and their ability to heal themselves. So trusting in his promises and the guidelines given to us by Howard. We have some symptoms such as tremor and pain in the back of his legs but working each day to recover from these. Mike has noticed that his sense of smell has returned and that was such a blessing!!! Bless you and prayers for your continuous success!!