Hi I was dx 2 years ago after 6 years of misdiagnosed lupus,rhematoid athritis and others..
I am terrified of the future because i,ve always been an active altruistic person. Now I have to ask other people for help,which doesnt come naturally to me. I welcome any advice and support from other pd sufferers. I am 52, married with 6 children ages 36 to 8yrs, and7 grandchildren.

6 children! 7 grandchildren!! well there's not much chance of you being left to cope on your own. Perhaps its time for you to be on the receiving end of altruism - you have earned it.
You don't know the future anymore than the person who has just won the lottery and is about to walk in front of a bus. To quote Doris Day 'the futures not ours to see'.
I've found it gets less scary the more you experience it. Especially once your meds are settled. Dont dwell in the future -- live in the present.
You are lucky to have so much family. Enjoy them.

cheers
ps welcome

thankyou....i am an optimist and a realist most of the time...just wobble occasionally

a rare combination, but imho the best

Hello and welcome Neenag, I agree with Turnip wholeheartedly. A positive attitude can make a huge difference to anybody with a chronic illness, of course we will all have some days when we are peed off but so do healthy people. I see no point in worrying about the future as what will be will be and we cannot change that. So live for today and enjoy your family and lovely grandchildren, you are so lucky to have them all as there are many people alone in this world. Take care

Glenchass

thankyou ... it makes all the difference talking to people in this situation. this is the first time ive admitted to myself that i need emotional support

neenag

Hi and welcome
Have you ever been able to help someone out and for some time after felt really pleased to have been able to be of use? That little warm glow of a job usefully done is the gift we can give people when we ask for help, accept it gracefully and thank them quietly.
Not that I find it easy.......

Hi and welcome,

How right sallymac and the others are, you are very blessed to have such a lovely family and I am sure you find it very difficult to accept help. When a nun and priest visited me when I spent long months in bed due to my back condition they said the same I have always been happy to help others and they said I must also accept help and give the same pleasure to others. I am still very independent but do ask for help more since then. None of us know how life will turn out so enjoy today as I am sure you will have down days just like the rest of us.There is only my husband our son and myself, we were never lucky enough to have more children but we are very close, but I do worry about our son who is still single which is so common today.
best wishes
vivian

Hi neenag i know exactly were your coming from. I was dx nearly three years ago and just realised im still in denial. I try and stay positive but of course we worry about the future its to be expected. I find it really hard asking for help especially from my grown up children (as a mum your used to being the carrer not the other way round!)

It wasn't until last week that i realised im thought of the same mum as ive always been:- my son asked if he could hold his engagment party at home (even tho he has a home of his own), ive always jumped at the chance of organising a good old knees up! With plenty of help the party was a great success and i felt like i had really acieved something (only 18 months ago i was so self contious i couldnt wàlk into a room full of people let alone organize a party!)

I find it easier to explain why im slow, stiff and jumpy and find things difficult, but out of over 40 guests no one treat me any different. All im really trying to say is get on with life dont dwell on what may happen in the future because no one knows! It did take a week to get over it but i dont see pd as that devil on my shoulder any more just an annoying inconveniance thats been treated!

Please excuse the spelling mistakes thats the G&T!

C

When I made my somewhat melodramatic announcement to my sons just after dx when the darkest scenarios loomed large, one of nicest things my sons said to me was "But you'll still be the same person" with the implication that I was a worthwhile person for them just as I was and whether I could do stuff or not.
It won't perhaps be obvious why this meant a lot to me. As they say nowadays there are "issues" from my childhood. The fact is that every human being makes a unique contribution to this world even if it is