The sun is out, the sky is a beautiful blue and it’s supposed to be in the 60s today. Mackenzie is upstairs playing with Renee and I can hear them laughing. Unfortunately, I can’t join them as I can’t walk up the stairs this morning. We’ve been here since May and I’ve only ventured upstairs a dozen times. I’m glad the girls have a little alone time. It’s good for them!
I’m working on my Blessings List and realize that there are many things that are not on the list that should be. The missing items are things I’ve always taken for granted; and, now that they are gone, I feel their absence. Today is one of the bad days. Bad days are when having a Blessings List to fall back on is really important.
My morning dose of medicine has failed me. I’m having problems walking. My feet shuffle when I walk and I’m having frequent periods when I literally freeze in place (can’t move). Yesterday, I struggled to walk a block, froze so frequently I almost called Renee to come and get me, and eventually made it home. One of the reasons I avoid steps is my tendency to “freeze.” Being able to walk was never on my Blessings List. It should have been!
Being able to wash myself, dress myself and clean up after myself should have been on my Blessings List! When I was well, I never would have thought about it. When I was well, taking a walk on a sunny day was a given. As these skills leave me, I can’t stop thinking about them. My losses are accelerating despite my medications and my newfound attitude.
Parkinson’s may diminish me and may ultimately kill me; but, as long as I can breathe and be with family and friends, I will fight it. I’m currently being assessed for DBS (deep brain stimulation). In layman’s terms, a surgeon is going to drill into my skull and place electrodes in my brain. In theory, by stimulating the parts of my brain that aren’t working, I’ll get better. Over the next few months, I’ll be going through a battery of pre-op testing to optimize me for surgery.
In the meantime, I’ll concentrate on expanding my Blessings List, exercising when I can and enjoying my family and friends. You should do the same. What’s on your Blessings List?
Here’s your joke for the day.
The doctor says, “Larry, everything looks great. How are you doing mentally and emotionally? Are you at peace with God?”
Larry replies, “God and I are tight. He knows I have poor eyesight, so He’s fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, poof! The light goes on. When I’m done, poof! The light goes off.”
“Wow, that’s incredible,” the doctor says.
A little later in the day, the doctor calls Larry’s wife.
“Bonnie,” he says, “Larry is doing fine! But I had to call you because I’m in awe of his relationship with God. Is it true that he gets up during the night, and poof, the light goes on in the bathroom, and when he’s done, poof, the light goes off?”
“Oh, no,” exclaims Bonnie. “He’s peeing in the refrigerator again!”
