Oh my, where did the time go? On March 25, 2010, eleven years ago today and six months into my Parkinson’s recovery, I began this blog. Today, I will look at from where we have come, where we are, and where we are going.
There I was in March of 2010, six months into doing the Recipe, and complaining to my family that I could not find anybody else on the Internet trying to get better from Parkinson’s. The reward for my complaining was firmly suggesting that I start a blog, talk about what I was doing, and maybe somebody working on a Parkinson’s recovery would find me.
A blog!??? I had to learn how to set one up, and also, my typing was down to one-finger typing. However, I said yes. You may click here if you wish to read my first blog post.
From where we have come.
My blog readership was astounding right out of the blocks…NOT! Other than Sally and our children, our friend Mary, my sister Allison and brother-in-law Rick, and my cousins Carolyn, Michael, and Susan, nobody was reading my blog. Blog readership: 10.
Where we are.
Over 20,000 unique visitors per month are coming to the website and blog.
These unique visitors come from over 200 countries from around the world.
I am coaching at least one person from 6 of the 7 continents. Apparently, Antarctica is the hold-out.
Some statistics for you:
Please note, these statistics are what have been reported to me, so the numbers may be higher.
Number of full recoveries other than me: 6.
Number of people having reported seeing benefits from doing the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®: Over 500.
Number of people doing the full Recipe as it is every day and not seeing any benefit: 0.
Number of people who have subscribed to receive an email notification every time I do a blog post: 1,220. (This means that when you are opening the email and clicking on the blog post, 1,219 other people are doing it with you).
Today’s blog post is number 830.
You have posted 10,025 comments on the blog posts.
If you have ever felt alone when reading the blog, doing the Recipe, or being in your Parkinson’s body, please know that there are over 20,000 people from over 200 countries in 6 continents on this blog with you each and every month.
You are not alone!
Where we are going.
Closing thoughts. The ”where we are going” section is blank because none of us know what comes next. In my recovery, I learned to accept life as it rolled out in front of me, one step at a time. However, I invite all of you to post a comment about where you want to go in your recovery.
Although we do not control what comes next, when you have a clear picture of what you want, and you put your soul, mind, and body best efforts and energy in the direction of what you want, you substantially increase that you will receive everything you want.
At the end of my first blog post, eleven years ago today, I wrote:
“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.”
I am grateful to all of you for the lively and meaningful dialogue we have been having these eleven years. And we are nowhere near completion of this conversation!
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
I am now 3 1/2 months into my recovery and feeling very grateful and blessed to have a recovery recipe to work with, thank you Howard. I’m feeling very positive that I will recover and I’m looking forward to that day, could be next month or the end of the year or next, but I will recover. First thing I will do when I recover is get back to gym like I’ve done for the last 45 years and do some weights. Also I would like to help others with the same condition anyway I can. I’ve been very lucky as I’m 64 now, 65 this year, so right on retirement, so it’s given me more time. God Bless everyone. Rick from Australia
Dear Howard and all,
Of course I want and ask for my recovery every day. But my insight today is that soothing and feeding my spirit can be as simple and constant as gratitude. Each time I say thank you for my life is a kiss of love to my spirit and I feel my body relax and energy vibrate. So that’s what I want to be my normal.
Love, Anne
Again, thank you for these blogs that are so encouraging to us. I sure look forward to them because they always help me feel positive about my recovery which I know it will happen. When? Only God knows, but in my heart I know it will. Blessings to you for being there for us
Dear Howard
Astonishing what you are telling!! It is worth doing the RECIPE and Werni wants
after recovery to cook meals, his preferred hobby, but also encouraging people that it is possible to recover. Thanks dear Howard!!
Thank you Howard and everyone, you are a godsend. Best wishes to everyone that comes on this blog.
Helen Australia
Time flies dear Howard! Your generosity and kindness shine through as always!
Thank you Howard! I feel great doing the Recipe and reading this blog!
I’d like to continue pushing my spiritual growth forward. What this means to me is putting the needs and interests of others ahead of my own. I don’t think my ego is too excited about this, but my soul is definitely up for it!
Hearty thanks to Howard and everyone else for making this blog such a lively venue for these discussions.
With much love and appreciation,
Chris in Wisconsin
Congratulations Howard. You have been blessed with a great opportunity to make a difference to so many people’s lives. I know that without your example I would have struggled to maintain my faith and commitment to recovery. Whenever I’m struggling, I always imagine what you would have done in this situation and I become stronger. Thank you so much.
Love and blessings,
Waseema
Dear Waseema, I was so pleased to see your post as we’ve not had contact for a while. It’s thanks to Howard that I’ve not given up as it’s been such a battle at times and I’ve felt totally overwhelmed, but still standing! Love Cynthia x
I agree, Howard makes a difference in many peoples lives with PD and he is the motivating factor here.
Jeannie, NY
Dear Howard,
When I came to my neurologist caretaker, she said: you’re doing really well after being diagnosed four years ago earlier. The amount of meds were low at this level in comparison with others.
Though I have a bit hard time doing the recipe. I made a time out for no reason, oh yes, one reason getting stubborn about it all I think.
A bit lost in this area.
But thankfully you are here to keep us going.
Keep on going friends
Thank you Howard for everything. The day of my full recovery is near and my body, soul and mind will be healed. I have the power to heal myself. God bless all of you!!!!
Thank you, Howard. Keep reminding us of the truth! Bless you and blessings to everyone on this blog.
Sally H.
When my full recovery happens I will not return to the person I was as that person got me into this mess. I will be a new person giving gratitude for being given a second chance to appreciate each moment. Bless you all. Haola. All is well, gettng better.
Ray from the Emerald Isle
Dear Howard, I believe that you are a channel for the universe to spread hope, faith, courage, knowledge, and wisdom about our recovery. I also give you much of the credit. Like many, you have changed my life. I look forward to your blog each week and all of the comments from my fellow “narrow roadies”. I like that you left the future wide open.
Congratulations Howard!!! I am soooo grateful for you starting your blog and for your coaching!!!
You introduced me to Joel Osteen and he encourages us to be bold with our prayer!! So I am wishing to be number 8 … by “his stripes I was healed, God has already done it! By faith I received what you’ve already done.”
I also want to share my open heart and joy with people I meet on my path of life!
Thank you again Howard for your love and relentless support. I am grateful!
Love to All,
Ola
Hope and faith, given with love and devotion.
Thank you, Howard, for blogging and being
There are good things ahead for us all.
Dear Howard,
Thank you for your blog, which you started 11 years ago.
It is a sharing platform for all us in this journey.
Keep up with your motivation, encouragement, wisdom including supporting us all the way in our RECOVERY.
God bless
Respected Howard sir,
I have started recipe since 2 years. Feeling great. I have been able to reduce the meds to half. I wait every Friday for blog post. That helps me keep going…Your positive words work as a ray of hope. When I will be cured, I want to resume driving, cooking, making hair of my daughters and write a book on PD., to help PD patients in India.
Regards, Mona
Cheers to you Howard!
Your positivity is contagious, catchy.
It has changed my believing in healing into ‘knowing’. And because of this knowing it’s much easier to accept and surrender to bad days . Fearless. Because one day I will be healed.
I love your blog❤
Dear friends out there keep up the good work , celebrate life and stay healthy!
Sylvia
There is such a lot to unpack in this blog. First, the statistics. Only six people, besides Howard, have fully recovered, from the thousands who have engaged with him and the Recipe. Only six? Or EVEN six? From a disease that is officially incurable! Once I had read Howard’s book, I was game to try the Recipe, even if Howard was the ONLY one who had recovered. He has gifted a method but my recovery will eventually come (please God) because of my own attitudes and faith. Each one of us is on a unique journey to healing, pretty much like we’re having a unique experience of Parkinson’s.
Howard has invited us to post a comment on where we want to go in our recovery. I want to live in the full and daily acceptance that I’m OK as I am; I want to offer myself as a reaper to help bring in the harvest; I want to stop procrastinating and do things right here, right now; and I want my body back!
Thank you Howard for your ever loving support – its your utmost belief in recovery that spurs many of us on !!! an oasis in an otherwise desolate place – fighting on with more love than before, Jan
Hello to everybody else out there, going through the same as me! It is a comfort to know I am not the only one working towards recovery. I do find it mentally hard to live my life without focusing on the disease all the time and looking for signs it might be getting better or worse. Just getting on with my recovery as part of my life is hard. But I am not the only one and I have a very good life. I love, I cycle, Motorcycle, Garden, Yoga, I use weights, do the Recovery, I enjoy being vegetarian, being alcohol free, I walk and this year I will go to the Gym again when it opens, I will paint and I will take photographs. I am 1 year and 3 months into my drug free recovery and my left arm and hand shake, my left leg makes Elvis look like he wasn’t trying. What will I do with recovery? I will take the lessons I am learning every day, the mental strength I am growing, the peace I am learning through meditation, the cleanliness of my lifestyle and I will enjoy and appreciate every taste I taste, every colour I see, every smell I smell and every feeling I feel and I will be very grateful. Thank you all!
Dear Graham,
Your comment about what you will do with recovery was beautifully said.
I feel so much better when I focus on the present rather than on having PD. I have learned, through Howard’s coaching, to accept my condition and to be grateful for the abilities I do have and for all that in the past I have taken for granted. Like a good night sleep, the air that I breath, the family I have and much more. I am healing with the recipe for recovery and the most important thing is to BELIEVE and being sincerely grateful.
Thank you Jeannie and good luck with your recovery.
Thank you Howard for what you have done, and what you are doing. I am excited to be a part of this journey and see where it goes next. For where we go next, I want to see us all stop FEAR, find acceptance, surrender, and gratitude, and have FAITH to live in every moment that we have. I am a work in progress on each of these. I am living proof of the benefits of The Recipe. After two months of exercises and affirmations my sense of smell returned! I was without the sense of smell for over two decades. This spring I am looking forward to the smell of fresh cut grass. This is something that I have missed for several years. All things are possible.
We can do this! Blessings to all.
And honestly, my life will change much because I really have a great life. Because of Parkinson’s, made the changes into a wonderful life that I really enjoy….I am looking forward to a much easier way of doing it though. This is tiring and I’m grateful for it. Without darkness there is no light.
Thank you Howard for sharing your journey of hope, strength, and faith with us. And Happy Birthday by the way. You have truly been an inspiration and beacon of light for all of us who are on this journey.
My vision is to continue on this journey of letting go of my past and allowing my loving Inner Spirit to shine which opens me up to the flow of love and acceptance. I see my body as flexible, fluid and agile. I have strength and peace that surpasses all understanding. I hope to be an instrument and inspiration for others and I continue to put myself in God’s hands so I will be guided to do the next right thing.