Parkinson’s: Full Catastrophe Living
“Full Catastrophe Living”
Using the Wisdom of your Body
and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness
By Jon Kabat-Zinn
Last night, I didn't sleep well. But I have learned, I can make a blessing out of a broken up night. It is usually a night of “2 Sleeps”/and a good book.
In the middle of the night, when I wake up the first time, I am very groggy and stiff. It takes me awhile to untangle my legs out of the covers and then figure out how close I am to the edge of the bed.
Next, to see what time it is, my hand reaches for where my phone is. Each night, I carefully place on my side table:
the small pad of paper, where I keep track of when I take medicine.
Then my phone goes on the pad, placed 'just so' so I will know, in the dark, where the blank parts of the paper are.
The pen sits on the pad, above the phone. I know where to write by lining up my pen between the phone and the side edge of the paper on the pad.
The green pillbox is always next on the other side of my phone. I pick it up and finger the lids of each pill holder, until I get to the right day, then slowly and as quietly as possible, 'pop' it open, fumble out two pills, and sort of smudge it closed with my thumb.
(I promise you, I have very diligently worked out all the details to not wake up my hubby. Until I drop the pillbox onto the metal base of my lamp. And say “Shoot!” Or some other appropriate word.)
Now all I need is the water container, which is lined up next to the pills.
With my eyes glued shut, I hoist myself up and pause to make sure I am steady, before I start my journey to the bathroom.
Getting back in bed, always seems easier to me. It should- my eyes are finally open. And the cold water, as I wash my hands...is cold. I am hopeful that I will easily go back to sleep. I sometimes do, but on the night's I don't, If I stay in bed, for an hour or two, eyes squeezed shut, Trying-With-All-My-Might-To-Get-Back-To- Sleep, I tend to worry about things.
I keep seeing in my head, the big and bold headline: “Lack of Sleep is Ruinous for your Health.” My thoughts tend to circle around Parkinson's and My family's assortment-of-stuff-that-Nancy-repeatedly-worries-about.
Here comes the blessing:
Instead, if I get up and go to the back room, to read a little, drink a cup of decaf green tea and possibly eat a cookie or two or...(thank you Steven, for the tiny tea service in the upstairs back room. I love it!)
I greatly enjoy the quiet, peaceful, reading time.
I'll read, until I can't keep my eyes focused on the words anymore and I have to go to bed.
Thus begins my 2nd sleep.
The last couple of nights, while not sleeping, I have been reading Jon Kabat-Zinn's book:
“Full Catastrophe Living”
Using the Wisdom of your Body and Mind
to Face Stress, Pain and Illness.
It is truly a wonderful book-for everyone to read.
(I have just realized, that I am about to embark on writing the first book review that I have written since grade school. And I never liked writing book reviews!)
Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD. is a Mindfulness Teacher. He is internationally known for his work using mindfulness meditation to help medical patients with chronic pain and stress. He is the founder and director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.
This book is filled with stories about the people who came to the clinic, their challenges, both in body and mental health and what happened to them when they did the 8 week Mindfulness Meditation program. It also contains the whole program, in a step by step guide so you too can follow the program. It is astounding what you can make happen when you diligently practice mindfulness meditation. This is not a case of what the Doctor's can do for you or the medicine can do for you, it is in your hands to do this or to not do this for your health and happiness.
OK, I know, I have never been able to get myself to have a regular meditation practice. I am wondering now, why have I not been able to? I have read an abundance of books, articles and magazines about meditation. I have also watched webinars and been to classes about it. I know how good it is for you, I know how important it can be for my health and happiness. But as Dr. Kabat-Zinn says- I have paraphrased it- I couldn' t find the quote: : you can' t change your life by reading a book or listening to a tape you have to do the practice.
Which for this book, basically means picking a time that you sit with yourself every day, and meditate (follow your breath) for at least 45 minutes, 6 days a week.
Dr. Kabat-Zinn has found, when they did the follow ups with the people, who do the full practice, for just 8 weeks, that they have continued to do it. By doing the practice every day they have “gained powerful inner resources for coping effectively with stress, pain and illness.”
They do it, they have made the difference in their lives, no one can do it for them.
My new psychiatrist, has said that she keeps a copy of his book on her desk. I visualize it as open and turned up side down- a favorite quote or an understanding of a problem highlighted in pink.
I have already underlined and high lighted a lot of it too.
Cheers,
Nancy and the Snark
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Footnotes From Corrine
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