A week ago Kate from “Shake Rattle and Roll” came up with a brilliant idea. In an effort to increase public awareness about PD and hopefully help/inspire others who have been effected by the disease, she suggested that the two of us do an interview exchange, and publish eah others answers on our respective sites. We each came up with questions about Parkinson’s Disease and the effect it may or may not have had on our lives and submitted them to each other .
For me, the project has been a... Read Full Story
On Friday, June 6th I dropped off my children at school per usual that morning, and pointed the car toward work. It was a routine that I was quite used to, hum-drum in its predictability, and this day promised to be no different than any one of a thousand others from years gone by. At least that’s what I thought for the first few blocks of my journey. Little did I know that my life was about to take a dramatic turn less than half way to my destination as I stopped for a red light just a few... Read Full Story
Some days I believe the most accurate picture of ourselves comes not from the reflection staring back at us in the mirror hanging on the wall, nor from neatly cropped images perfectly pasted into a dusty, forgotten photo-album, but instead from our own children.
Some parents, when they look at their children, see only the obvious familial traits - grandma’s smile, mom’s eyes, dad’s nose - yet there is so much more there to see if you only look for it. In watching our children we can see... Read Full Story
Yesterday was a bad day emotionally. It started out pretty good, then I blew up the TV and things went down hill from there. Okay, I didn’t really blow up the TV - I unplugged the power strip that the TV was plugged into, and something popped inside the outlet causing a shower of sparks to spew from the wall and a plume of blue smoke to burst forth from my mouth.
Two blown fuses, a trip to the local grocery store (for replacement fuses), and a new wall outlet later, found everything... Read Full Story
The work clothes are in a rumpled pile in the basement, and the cellphone has been turned off; it’s time to break out with the cheese - because I’m about to have a little w(h)ine… I have been an RN for over ten years. It’s a profession which I truly love, and would not trade for the world. Let’s take it one step further; specifically I am the ADON (Assistant Director Of Nurses) at a Long Term Care SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility.) Basically that’s a fancy way of saying I’m third in command... Read Full Story
Depression is something I don’t usually like to talk about. It is a part of my life -my past- that I have always preferred to keep hidden, buried deep where no-one would ever find out about it, but this evening I read two posts that inspired me to tell my own story. The first post is titled “Sharing a Painful Story” by Sheila on Alabama Kitchen Sink. The second post is “Choosing Life Over Death” by Barrett Laurie May You Never Understand Depression is what depression is And if you really... Read Full Story
Cathy, the author of “Cathy’s Place” hosted a “911 Challenge.” The object was to write something inspired by the events of September 11th, 2001 and she would post them for all the world to see. Below is a copy of my submission. To read all of the writings that were submitted please visit the “911 Challenge.” You can also vote for your favorite. The current leader is Kacey from “Cookie’s Oven.” After reading her post, and then viewing her blog, it is no wonder she is in the lead. But alas... Read Full Story
The first year after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease was by far the worst 12 months of my life. Although I had been having PD symptoms for almost 2 years prior to being diagnosed with the disease, I found myself in denial. Somehow I even managed to convince myself that there really wasn’t anything wrong, my tremors and balance problems were merely a figment of my own imagination; some sort of freaky mass hallucination affecting all of my closest friends, family and neighbors in such... Read Full Story
Once again, I am oh so very guilty… I have pride, and lots of it. I am proud of my wife. I am proud of my children. I am proud of my heritage, my job…I have even been known to be proud of myself from time to time.
Being proud of something, in and of itself, is not always something to be ashamed of. It all depends on what you are proud of, why you are proud of it, and more importantly what you do with that pride, that determines if it is good or bad.
Pride in oneself is necessary, it... Read Full Story
Changes As I grow old, I realize The past is of no concern to me For who I was, I am no more And the here and now matters not For who I am, I will not be… It is of the future that I am most afraid. I know not who I shall become And like a caterpillar in its cocoon I cannot help but wonder What it is that I will be… A Monarch or a Moth? The choice is mine, I have but to break outside and see. And in the in end I shall not care Be it Monarch or Moth For either way I will spread my wings and... Read Full Story
