Mina

Some Thoughts To Share

A broken vacuum cleaner is how I can best describe myself. I don't mean that I- the real inner me is broken- that is hopefully whole. It's just the best way to explain the frustration of this chronic disease to those who (thank G-d) have no experience with Parkinson's.

Did you ever try to clean your dusty carpets with a vacuum cleaner that has a wire coming loose? It may be a safety hazard, but nevertheless, the carpet is so dirty and the machine runs well sometimes, so you plug it in and switch it on. After a false start or two, the motor gives a promising hum, and you begin. It's encouraging to see the carpet coming clean, and you enthusiastically rush around the room, hoping to finish quickly.

Suddenly, you give a little tug on the wand and sputter, sputter, power is gone. You twist the wand back to where it was before, and the motor gasps and comes back on, but at half the power. You try going over the same bit of carpet ten times. It's getting a little cleaner but taking forever for an imperfect job. After twenty minutes, the vacuum suddenly comes back to full power, as if nothing was wrong with it at all. This lasts about half an hour. You've finished cleaning everywhere except the hallway, when suddenly you feel the energy surge fading away. The motor gives a feeble attempt to turn over, but it's just too hard. It spits out the last dust ball it had swallowed, too tired to even retract its cord.

Here are some other observations that I've made since diagnosis:
The expression 'to crack a smile' must have been coined by a Parkinsonian. That's exactly what if feels like when you're 'off' and someone greets you.

If your hands shake when you're trying to take photos, use your nose to keep the camera steady.

Don't carry your key ring in a shaky hand, it draws unnecessary attention.

The latest anecdotal findings suggest that Bradykinesia may be caused by an allergy to rushing.

If you find it hard to get out of your chair after dinner, you can blame it on the illness instead of the fullness.

It is possible to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere- in the doctor's surgery, at urgent meetings, while reading a story to children, while taking a dexterity test. Strangely enough the hardest place to fall asleep and stay asleep is in bed.

Old Parkies never die, they just fade away!