Life With Parkinson’s

“Hope makes a good breakfast. Eat plenty of it.” Ian Fleming

“Learn from yesterday, live for today.” Albert Einstein

Introduction: In early March, 2015, I began this blog. And I closed the first blog post as follows: “In closing this opening blog, I am trying to live life well and authentically, and not be defined by my PD. With the help of family, friends, colleagues, and personal physicians, my goals are to stay positive and strive to keep focused on what matters the most…I am still here!” (click here to read- I’m Still Here: Life with Parkinson’s).

This has truly been an amazing journey. I have met so many people with Parkinson’s, and they all have immense strength and courage. Each person that I have had the pleasure of meeting, or even just from their written word, inspires me, each and every day.

There is much to update everyone who reads/follows this blog; with time, I will fill you in with the details. My health is stable. My last visit in January with my Neurologist ended with the following words: “Frank, I will see you in a year (sooner if you need to come in).” I just smiled. What else could I do or say? What follows below is an update I simply call it “Life in the Presence of Parkinson’s.”

“Perhaps the greatest psychological, spiritual, and medical need that all people have is the need for hope.” Billy Graham

Life in the Presence of Parkinson’s

I am a healthy person that happens to have Parkinson’s; this is what I know:
Life comes with risks, but if you embrace the opportunity, it makes a difference.
Life with Parkinson’s comes with issues but persist and be strong to stay healthy.

Life comes with problems, but work through them, and you can enjoy the sunshine.
Life with Parkinson’s is focused on difficulties nonetheless stay positive and be hopeful.

Life demands you live with stress; however, use exercise to dissipate difficult times.
Stress magnifies life with Parkinson’s; nevertheless, exercise is an elixir to better health.

Life hits you hard at times; yet, use your resilience to resolve these stressful events.
Life with Parkinson’s is relentlessly in pursuit; hold firm, and never retreat.

I am a healthy person that happens to have Parkinson’s; this is what I believe.
I believe that people-with-Parkinson’s can live a full-happy-long-fulfilling life.
I believe it will not be an easy street to travel but bring others to help find your way.
I believe your strengths are both external and internal; the battle is always on.
I believe having persistence prepares you to live in the presence of Parkinson’s.
I believe that the will focused on strenuous exercise is the best path to healing.
I believe that the more positive the attitude you have, the better you will be.
I believe with the thoughtful use of therapy I can try hard to lessen the progression.
I believe that if you support me, not pity me, will enable me to live to the fullest.
I believe in science and medicine, and many people are tackling this disorder today.
I believe that advances will one day be able to improve my quality-of-life.
I believe that each day I awake renews my chance to defeat this disorder.
I believe that if you find loving/caring relationships, life gets more relaxed and better.

I am a healthy person that happens to have Parkinson’s; this is my daily mantra:
I refuse to surrender to Parkinson’s; I will never give in to this disorder.
Please join me in this journey.

And here it is again, layered on top of a photo.

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” Albert Camus

Cover Photo Credit: Image by Johannes Plenio from Pixabay