Living with Parkinson's Disease

I was 35, and i had read about Parkinson’s. I heard men were more prone to getting it than woman. And that the elderly usually got it. Funny I never thought I would be diagnosed with that disease. I had been shaking and my posture had been getting ‘hunchy’. My daughter told me to see the doctor, and I did, and I was extremely shocked to find out that I had Parkinson’s.

I thought I was going to die! My father had had it, and died at 73. And so I thought I was going to die too. I started accomplishing all my goals, and taking days off of work to spend time with my family. I was so scared. My mother came to me one day and said something she never said..she said, “Em, I love you sweetie.” Her voice was sad, and I thought my death was near. My mother was 82, and rarely said I love you.

I was sitting on the couch, feeling depressed, when my daughter, who was then 19 who was in college to be a doctor, came to me and gave me a wake-up call when she said, “Mom, you know, just because you have PD, it doesn’t mean your gonna die.” She had opened my eyes. Suddenly I realized, I wasn’t going to die!! It was only me feeling sorry and not thinking about anything else.

I optimistically came to my doctor and told him that my medication didn’t seem to be working. I asked him if there were any alternates, and he told me about the device they surgically implant into your head. I knew it was risky, but I decided to take that chance. The surgery went fine, and I am now 51 living happily with my family. It’s A Wonderful Life!!