Parkinson’s: Tips From The Trenches

Snarky Parky & me

A Journey Into Parkinson's with Nancy Mellon

Blog Coordinated by Corrine Bayraktaroglu

Tips From the Trenches

“Don't Do It”

Sue, a new friend from my PD Dance Class, and I have been e mailing each other. We both write pretty long e-mails and we both have asked each other some PD questions. This week Sue's advice was pithy and just what I needed to hear.

She said “I've been reading a lot about Parkinson's lately and find that to be sometimes risky. As good as info is, I tend to also run across information that brings me down.

 Don't read too much!”

Boy she hit the nail on the head for me. Too much focus on Parkinson's can bring me down.

Another wonderful friend, gave me a book written by a man living with Parkinson's. I keep dipping into it, usually at night before I go to bed and each time it makes me sad. Steven says “why are you reading that tonight?”

I don't know. I just am.

Don't do it, Nancy.

Another thing Sue said in her email was “every now and then we all have to hold each other up.”

Often when I 'zoom' into one of my PD Classes, as I greet people in the class, I realize, something is wrong, someone doesn't look well and is probably going through a hard time. How do we hold each other up? Sometimes it is silently with blessings or prayers. If they live near by I might email or text and ask if I can get them something they might need at the store or pharmacy.

It is hard to offer to make a meal, because I don't cook or bake much anymore. (I made the world's ugliest carrot cake, for my son Brendon's birthday last week. BUT it tasted great!)

I drop things, (has anyone else started doing that?) and I have to start to cook early in the day, because I get fatigued fast and need to rest. My son Kelsey and his wife Zyn are doing most of the cooking. Thank you Kelsey and Zyn!

Sue sent me a wonderful email full of loving words sent to remind me of the good I can still do. I think we need to remind each other that we still are useful and that we do good things for others just by being in this moment with each other and by going on.

Cheers,

Nancy and the Snark.

Footnotes from Corrine

Coffee Cup Wisdom 

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference has never tried to fall asleep with a mosquito in the room.”

— The Dalai Lama

Sometimes I think we really underestimate how even the most humble of things, acts can have a huge impact .  Just a smile, or a wee compliment, a touch of an arm , a message m a hug or wee gift makes someone felt hear, validated, cared about. 

Ps. Knowing your carrot cake making i bet it was delicious.

I agree with Sue. 

Love you dear friend , your kindness and humour, words and vulnerability is a precious gift I cherish dearly.