Hi Wifit ... thanks for sharing.

I was once told when a door closes you need to turn away from it to see other doors which are open ...

Find a passion ... a purpose. Parky is not the end ... we can beat it if we can find a way to turn it into a positive. By accepting and focusing just on the negatives only brings more negatives (Sorry I have probably upset half the Forum)

A friend of mine is 37 ... she had both breasts removed in January and thought she had beaten the big C ... only for it to spread to her stomach and lungs.

She will be lucky to live for 6 months ... and not once have I heard her complain about the pain she is suffering or the life SHE wont have ... only the sorrow of not being able to be with her love ... her husband.

Glass half full or half empty ... find a passion.

Sally Mac ... fantastic open that door and enjoy the wonders

If I have offended anyone ... use the emotion of anger and direct it at Parky ... tell that parasite it wont win ...

Like the song says.

Accentuate the positive.
Eliminate the negative.
Latch on to the affirmative,
and don't mix with Mr.Inbetween.

Positives of Parky's is always going to be controversial but personally I think it's a great thread!
I'd rather have a different reason for all the things that I have had to do to cope with parky's and all the challenges, but having gone from virtual immobility to regaining the use of my body via meds and exercise, the things I wouldn't have experienced without PD include -
- learning to let people in on how I feel, and request support, find out that my good friends are in fact great friends, and my folks can cope
- focus on the here and now, do things while I can - been to India, America and shortly Africa, as well as seizing the moment at every opportunity wherever I am.
Last year i went to a UK music festival and found myself in tears as I drove onto the site. Because I didn't think I'd be able to do anything like that again, when I was really ill.
- respond to the 'sink or swim' crisis which parkys presents you with - made some big decisions in my life. It forced me to focus and act rather than procrastinate and avoid issues.
- walked over hot coals - and only realised afterwards that I didn't think for one second about PD during the entire event, and through several foot-warming journeys
- given me some empathy for the lives of the people i work with in my job, who have all gone through life-changing diagnoses.

I'd rather not have PD - but I have - out of crisis comes opportunity.
I'm young-onset so it's obvious there are negatives which would fill pages. But I shan't list them here.

Thank you Jo72 ... Now thats what I am talking about!
I am sitting in my car about to go to the gym ... Read your post and it has motivated me for the day.
There are plenty of other threads for negs ... Thank you again

Two positive things that PD has given me.
1) low blood pressure due to PD meds so I can stop my blood pressure tablets - one less pill to swallow
2) Citalaprim for anxiety so now I don't panic when going to new places!

Has to be a plus side.

If you think you are beaten
you are

If you think you dare not 
you wont

If you'd like to win but you don't think you can
Then its almost certain you wont

If you think you'll lose you've lost 
For out in the World you'll find

Success begins with a persons will
It's all in your state of mind

If you think you're outclassed you are
For you have to think high to rise

You have got to be sure of yourself 
If you're ever to win a prize

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster wo/man

But sooner or later the one who wins 
is the one who thinks they can

If you can't find a positive ... PARKY WINS ...

Hello sbns,
Thanks for your reply to my post, I'm glad it hit the spot. I do think it's really important to try and identify the good bits in my life, which will help me through hard times. In a former job I worked with people in their 80s and 90s who were near the end of their lives. It was clear that for a lot of people (everyone's circumstances are different), those who coped better with this were those who had many good memories from their lives, and were pleased with that they had done. It sounds obvious, but when you have an illness that you know is likely to make life progressively harder, it makes sense to do what you can while you can. And to counteract the sense of loss, fear, insecurity etc of having PD by trying to make what you can of life. It's reasonable for me to consider that I can't wait til I retire to do things, as by the time I'm in my early 60s (or whatever the retirement age will be by then!) I'll have had PD for 30 years, and so I try to do what I can now. I want to at least be able to look back and think 'well I wish things had been different, but I gave it a good go'. It's not about denying the negatives - just about trying not to let them overwhelm you any more often than they have to. Most of us no doubt know what it's like to feel overwhelmed by PD and it ain't good, so anything we can do to get more control has to be beneficial. I spose it's a glass half full approach - I came home early last night from a social with friends cos I was so tired but at least I went out for a bit. So I feel annoyed and sad for a little while and then I have to be realistic and think well I could have stayed at home all evening.
I feel glad to live in a developed country that supplies me with medication because if this didn't happen, I'd be on the scrap heap by now, and so I'm grateful for that luck.

Without Parkinsons I would never have discovered I had a hidden talent for watercolour painting, although I am not quite the next Turner or Constable. Strange how the tremor virtually disappears when I'm concentrating.

Thanks Christo ... reminds me of a story I heard when training in Martial Arts ...

An old man crippled with arthritis barely able to walk ... slowly makes his way to the centre of the stage with his Katana (Samurai long sword)in his hand.

He kneels and assumes the meditation position ...

Then with a blur he is on his feet ... the sword slicing through the air as if in some magical dance. He twists, turns and spins ... all the while the sword movement does not stop.

After a few minutes ... he returns the sword to its sheaf and returns himself into the meditation position

He slowly stands up on shaky legs and makes his way from the stage ... barley able to walk ... once again a feeble old man.

I guess sometimes when the passion is so deep ... it has the power to transform

I can't think of a single thing except....

talking to internetty people who care,
finding out who true friends are
eventually enjoying retirement - it took a bit of getting used to
getting up early and doing loads of activities (as/when Parkinson's permits)
writing some good poems - I think!
realising I had a bit of inner strength
not taking life for granted

Please don't anyone ask for the down side!!!!

Lin
xx