I need a Vacation from Parkinson's
 |
| "Splat" by Nancy Mellon & Corrine Bayraktaroglu |
Too much! Too much Parkinson's information gathering,
stationary biking, vocal videos, lifting weights, even dancing, doing online
Parkinson's Exercise classes, cheerful little phone songs announcing pill
taking, pill taking, pill taking, Dr. visiting, Parkinson's Webinars,
Parkinson's e mails from the Foundations-the only one I want to do today is
the writing of this Blog so I can complain!
I'm new to this. Three and a half months since my diagnosis. I'm trying to get up to speed in my knowledge about this disease. Though saying that makes me ashamed. For I was my mother 's care giver in the last 3 years of her Parkinson's journey. She lived with us, I went with her to the Dr.s appointments, gave her her pills, worked on the problems as they showed up. Then as dementia set in, I hired help. I loved our helpers. But I never learned what I'm learning now. I wish I had known."
Maybe if I give myself a day off each week from Parkinson's thoughts (and EXERCISING) - yes I would still have to take my pills, but otherwise not think or hear about the Snark. Consciously slamming the door on thoughts and living life in the moment. Oh joy, sounds like mindfulness training, which is another post for another time.
I think I need a vacation. I bet you do too. As a matter of fact I think our whole world needs a vacation.
Cheers,
From Nancy and the Snark who is snickering about this. For he knows there is no vacation that he won’t
be coming along on.
I call it my recovery days. In my first life when I was a gymnast and when I was training we would have recovery days build into the workout schedule. The theory is when you lift weights you are acutely tearing down muscle so you have to give your muscles a day to recover and rebuild. Then when it rebuilds the muscle will be stronger. But if you weight lift every day you will actually get weaker because your muscle never have time to rebuild. Obviously I’m not training for gymnastic any more just trying to walk with less of a limp and to have more endurance. I try to remind myself that sometimes it is ok and even good for me to do absolutely nothing. Not only my body but my brain and my spirit needs time to recover and rebuild so they can be stronger. Some times a good brainless Hallmark movie or games on the iPad is what the day calls for. Little vacations or recovery days are important to take when ever needed. It took me a long time to allow myself to do that without guilt.
ReplyDeleteTake the vacation often, no guilt! You deserve it!
Theresa
Theresa, what good advice, thank you.
Delete