Ten years ago today, I began this blog. Much has happened over these last ten years, and I thought it would be helpful to go back to the beginning as a point of reference for today’s post. Here is my first blog post, March 25, 2010.
“Hi.
I turned 49 years old two days ago. In November of 2009, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. My mother had Parkinson’s for 24 years before she died, and a couple of months before receiving my official diagnosis, I was pretty much certain I had it.
My mother was not diagnosed with Parkinson’s right away, and she had been put on drug treatments prior to her Parkinson’s diagnosis. She responded well to the initial Parkinson’s medications, and hence received her diagnosis. She fought a long and valiant fight, but in the end, it seemed like the drugs took their toll and played as much a part in her passing as did the disease itself.
I am fortunate to have learned from her experiences and her courage, and I am fortunate that her Parkinson’s specialist is located in my city — he is my Parkinson’s specialist now.
I am doing my best to fight this drug free. Admittedly, my movements are slow, my balance is not good, I have regular nagging pain, and I tire much more easily than before. However, I have decided to listen to these messages my body is sending me and work toward a long-term solution from a holistic perspective. I am interested in sharing my experiences to help others and I am interested in hearing others’ experiences to help me and anybody else who reads this blog.
All I can do is share what I am doing…what works and what does not. Everybody who suffers from Parkinson’s suffers in a different way. Obviously, if something I am doing looks like giving a try, let your doctor know what you are thinking about doing. I am not a doctor, and I am not advocating you do anything that you and your doctor have not discussed. My doctor is fantastic and has given me the green light to explore the approaches I will be describing in later posts.
I would not be able to fight this fight if it were not for the love of my wonderful wife and children, as well as my extended family and friends. I have many blessings in this life, and I feel that Parkinson’s is just a roadblock…not an immoveable object.
I look forward to a meaningful dialogue.”
So, here we are ten years later. The meaningful dialogue has been taking place. Statistically, there have been 9,029 comments posted by you. That’s right. Including today, I have posted 774 blog posts and you have commented 9,029 times…that, my friends, is a Parkinson’s recovery dialogue. I am grateful for all of you.
Please take a look at one of the things I wrote:
“I am doing my best to fight this drug free. Admittedly, my movements are slow, my balance is not good, I have regular nagging pain, and I tire much more easily than before. However, I have decided to listen to these messages my body is sending me and work toward a long-term solution from a holistic perspective.”
1. “I am doing my best.” You all are doing your best, and your best is good enough.
2. I had not experienced much symptom relief even six months into doing the Recipe. Many of you are facing this exact same situation.
3. “However, I have decided to listen to these messages my body is sending me and work toward a long-term solution from a holistic perspective.” My goal was not symptom relief. My goal was to be fully recovered. I knew it was a long-term solution and that I had to listen to the messages from the inside.
4. It worked. I was my own Parkinson’s cure.
5. You are your own Parkinson’s cure. Know it and be it.
Thank you for ten years of a wonderful dialogue.
You can do this!!!
Is Parkinson’s Curable? Yes!
They say incurable. We say, “YES, IN CURABLE!”
They say impossible. We say, “YES, I’M POSSIBLE!”
So, embrace the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery® and chant with me:
“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.
AND, I AM WORTH IT!!!”
All my best,
Howard
Dear Howard,
In the dark hours of the early days of my Parkinson’s diagnosis in late October 2018, I was clueless about how I had to steer myself from the fear provoking prognosis of Western medicine on PD.
Within a week of my diagnosis, I could find a light of possibility for cure of my PD when I discovered your book and blog. Then onwards, I stuck to the light and the direction it was leading me.
So my journey for PD recovery began due to your blog and book.
Thanks for your great and loveful support.
With the best regards,
Venkat
Below I give the benefits of the Recipe for me.
I have been out of meds for the last 14 months.
I started recovering from PD very early, within first 10 days of starting the practice of the Recipe. Ever since, I have been slowly recovering from the symptoms. I started with 8 symptoms.
Now, I am left with 3 symptoms though these reduced in their intensity: drowsiness(intensity rating 2), right hand stiffness (2), constipation(4). Intensity rating scale: 0-10 where 0 is normal.
Thanks for loving us so well Howard! You bring great hope. I am grateful for you and the many who encourage here.
Blessings to all!
Yes Howard, I AM WORTH IT! and thank you for giving me the confidence to believe it and to live it. My choice has been to do your “Recipe” every day – mind, soul and body and to believe, right to the core of my being that the PD symptoms that were paralyzing in life could be eliminated. Eight (short) months ago I began this journey with you and I’m living virtually symptom free now. A small tremor in one hand is the last vestige of this beast and it too will be tamed – I have no doubt.
Probably the greatest gift you’ve given is in guiding and “giving permission” to LOVE MYSELF. And I do! It makes all the difference : – )
And so my journey continues, a little lighter and with a smile that’s a little broader. I’ll continue the Recipe every day, just because I love it and I will live my life to the fullest with love and compassion for all those around me.
Anyone thinking of doing the Recipe?? Just BELIEVE and DO IT! It will give you the tools you need to come to peace with your body, mind and soul and overcome PD.
Love, hope and peace to you all.
Elaine
Wow Elaine that’s AWESOME and so encouraging for the rest of us to hear! Godbless you and enjoy your wonderful health!
Howard thank you for the encouragement, these blogs give me inspiration and hope. I know I will recover.
Howard, thank you. Your posts are always encouraging.
Sharon in North Carolina
Beautiful Howard
Thank you Howard and belated Happy birthday to you!
What makes this so remarkable is that you recovered without knowing for sure the Recipe works and without having the encouragement of a mentor and the example of six others!!!!!! How lucky are we having the way paved for us like this!
…………..We are worth it!!!!
Happy Blog-i v e r s i t y to you, Howard.
What a great resource you have created and maintained over time.
Helping so many!
I will always remember stumbling upon your YouTube videos for
the first time and starting to follow you and do Qigong.
We have come a long way.
I am so grateful to you and to the blog!
Love,
Marie
Dear Howard,
Wonderful blog, thank you very, very much!! You are an excellent example to follow your advices!
We are looking forward to recovery, yeahhh!
Elaine and Reddy, thanks for sharing your journey. I found it most encouraging. Praying to God that your remaining symptoms go away. Howard, thanks for taking The Road Less Traveled, and having the nobility to help so many people selflessly and patiently
Ty so much Howard for all that you are doing and how blessed I feel to have you in my life.
Congratulations to Elaine you are inspiring
Way to go everyone! What a beautiful community to be part of. I am working hard towards recovery as we all are. So let’s all go forward together.
Lots of love from Wisconsin. Karen
Inspiration and good cheer abound! Thank you all for sharing yourselves here and especially to Howard for sharing your road to recovery. Grateful for all of you!
The fully recovered part really stands out for me. Let’s think about what that means in the wholistic context: not just physical symptom relief, but cleaning up the mental and spiritual issues that led to the symptoms. FULLY recovered. We’ll be in better shape than perhaps sometime in our childhood.
I’m kinda looking forward to it….
Love to all you kids out there!
– Chris