We All Have These Feelings

We all have these feelings throughout our lives

Sometimes I get the blahs and worry.

I don't want to have these thoughts,

Because it would give me insecurity.

It is up to me which one's I choose.

I prefer to to choose positive thoughts, 

in order for me to survive.

Those negative thoughts just bring me down.

All I would do is sit around and frown.

Life is too short for that to take place

That is something I don't want to face.

The joy and optimism is what I am made of.

I have no room for skepticism.

So join me and let's begin

 a wonderful support group  

Filled with Knowledge, humor and power 

To help one another at any hour.

May God Be with you!

Live to experience something new each day

To learn something new,

to meet a new friend,

to bring joy into someone's life,

to feel the wind newly on your skin,

to touch a new fear and a new anger,

and with focused intent and good fortune,

to find an ample measure of your own joy.

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Watching the sunrise 

and hearing  the birds chirping

I look up and see birds perching in the trees

I watch a turtle float in the pond

Oh how much joy there is

watching and listening to the morning's delight.

Being outdoors and feeling the soft breeze is in itself 

 a very comforting way to feel about oneself.
It always makes me want to smile.

As the day passes and the sun begins to go down, 
How peaceful the evening becomes. 
The only thing I hear are some bull frogs. 

Looking up at the sky, 
I see magnificent display of stars.
All of a sudden I see a falling star.

I don't take life for granted, 
I witness the beauty God has given us.
I am so thankful to be apart of it.

Good Morning

How wonderful it is that you are here.

I want to share with you about fear.

When I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease

It 's hard to believe it is apart of me.

In the beginning I just wanted to flee.

Sometimes I move at a slow pace,

I'm certain that I can not race.

At times I freeze as if my feet are glued to the floor.

There were times I wanted to shout, I can't take it anymore!

As time has past, I realize now, I plan to be here for awhile.

I decided not to give up or give in. I will begin each day with a smile.

Thinking positive thoughts and enjoying my life as best as I can.

I look at the beauty of nature and feel the warmth from the Florida sun.

Each day that I am able, I ride my trike for several miles.

I enjoy waving at people and seeing their face light up with a smile.

I see the golfers playing on the green, and see their golf carts park in single file.

As I ride along the boulevard and see the cars passing by,

some people will wave or say hello.

How lucky I am, I hope to stay awhile.

Keep Moving

I have to keep moving, to fight this rigidness from Parkinson's Disease. 

If I didn't exercise and move my body, 

I would probably be back in my power wheelchair.

If I sit for a length of time, I have a difficult time getting up.

But once I am up, I move quite slower

than I did before PD came into my life.

When I get up in the morning, my rigidness is in full swing.

I must wait until my medicine kicks in.

Then I will begin stretching and exercising.

 Living in southwestern Florida is a real treat.

I love listening to the birds sing and looking out from my lanai.

 I enjoy watching the blue heron trying to catch fish in the pond.

Spending time outdoors and riding my tricycle is good for me. 

I  can ride without falling off of it. It is a workout, that's for sure.

I ride my tricycle down to the tennis courts and glide all around

the area.

I stop for a drink of water for my service dog, Spencer.

Spencer rides in the basket in front.

He wears a hat and sunglasses,

to save his eyes from cataracts.

People stop and ask about his role of service for me.

I explain that I have Parkinson's disease.

Spencer presses on my monitoring button when I need help.

He warned me of my iron burning inside before it caught  fire.

He digs at my feet when I freeze.

He warns me if someone is coming up my driveway, 

or knocking at my door.

He is such a little thing, with such a huge responsibility.

Yes, I have many health problems, just like many of you do.

Won't spend my time wasting it on complaints.

If I did, I would feel like Parkinson's has me in constraints.

Thank you for stopping by and reading my blog.

  

I Choose To Live My Life Thinking Positive

Somethings I can not do:

I am unable to clean my own home, because of my health.
Fortunately, I have cleaning service every two weeks. They steam my floors, clean my bathrooms, dust my furniture, vacuum and clean my kitchen. and dust my plantation blinds and ceiling fans.

I  am unable to smell:

Thankfully my service dog is here to assist. Like the time my iron was burning on the inside fortunately, he warned me and then it  began burning on the outside, I was able to unplug it and place in the sink.

I place things on the stove and at times I get busy and forget it, my dog or husband gets me, because they smell it beginning to burn. I don't cook anymore leaving the kitchen. It was a rude awakening.

I can only complete one task at a time. It may take a lot more time to complete it, in the past I was very good at multi-tasking.

I can't concentrate for a length of time. 

I am quite slow doing things.

My voice gets very low at times, I must repeat it several times before others can hear me. It is quite uncomfortable working at speaking louder.


I could go on and on but I just want to share to give you an idea of a short list of what I am not able to do. I do not dwell on what I can't do.

I choose to live my life thinking positive.

 I wake up each day being thankful that I made it another day.

I meditate, exercise my body and mind.  I just joined a singing group.

I am going to be giving  a seminar on Parkinson's disease in November.

I  have a wonderful family and friends. Yes, life is good.

Make the best of what you have!

Somedays start out harder than others

Somedays start out harder than others, my muscles are sore, as if I were in a wrestling match the day before.

 I shuffle to get my medicine, hoping that it will help our muscles be able to loosen up. All of a sudden, the phone rings. It's 6:00 a.m. Who would call that early unless it was an emergency ?
My heart is racing as I shuffle faster to the phone. I feel like my heart is going to pop right out of my chest. I answer the phone and find out it was a wrong number.
My hands are trembling and I have to sit and relax. Silently I  thank God, that we are well. 
We all seem to have Ups and Down, whether it is a family member or myself.

I decided to do Tai Chi this morning so that it helps me to relax as well as a workout for balance.

 I often wonder how many of us exercise and try to keep a positive outlook.
My goal is to do everything that I can do, by exercising my body as well as thinking good thoughts. I will do all that I can, to never give into PD.

So join me, in this fight of Parkinson's Disease.

Have you ever lost your balance and have fallen ?

I have fallen many times, losing my balance. 

Fortunately I haven't broken any bones so far. But I have been bruised and have had to get  an x-ray to make sure. I have had to use a hand and wrist brace until it is healed.

It is a serious thing, especially as we get older. 

Tips for maintaining balance

   Keep at least one hand free at all times. Try using a backpack or fanny pack

   to hold things rather than carrying them in your hands. Never carry objects

   in both hands when walking as this interferes with keeping your balance.

   Attempt to swing both arms from front to back while walking. This might

   require a conscious effort if Parkinson’s disease has diminished your 

   movement.It will, however, help you to maintain balance and posture,

   and reduce fatigue.

   Consciously lift your feet off of the ground when walking. Shuffling and 

   dragging of the feet is a common culprit in losing your balance.

   When trying to navigate turns, use a "U" technique of facing forward

   and making a wide turn, rather than pivoting sharply.

   Try to stand with your feet shoulder-length apart. When your feet are

   close together for any length of time, you increase your risk of losing

   your balance and falling.

   Do one thing at a time. Don’t try to walk and accomplish another task, 

   such as reading or looking around. The decrease in your automatic 

   reflexes complicates motor function, so the less distraction, the better.

    Do not wear rubber or gripping soled shoes, they might "catch" on the floor 

    and cause tripping.

    Move slowly when changing positions. Use deliberate, concentrated 

    movements and, if needed, use a grab bar or walking aid. Count 15 

    seconds between each movement. For example, when rising from 

    a seated position, wait 15 seconds after standing to begin walking.

    If you become "frozen," visualize stepping over an imaginary object, 

    or have someone place his or her foot in front of yours to step over. 

    Try not to have a caregiver or companion "pull" you, this might throw

    you off balance and even prolong the episode.

    If balance is a continuous problem, you might want to consider a walking

    aid such as a cane, walking stick, or walker. Once you’ve mastered walking 

    with help, you might be ready to try it on your own again.