The following series of Blog posts come from Jay Whiteside in Toronto, Canada where he keeps in touch with family and friends in a series of newsletters he’s named as ‘What’s Shaking’.  Jay has edited highlights from ‘What’s Shaking’ for us to hear firsthand how he is managing his Parkinson’s symptoms which were first discovered over ten years ago. He kindly gave me permission to post seven of his episodes here.

Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery

Episode 4: I’ve never excelled at moderation. Which is hilarious.

I don’t want to be a shuffling drooling addled old fart. Not yet anyway. The responsibility for that is mine. The expectations are mine. Getting into my grill is like a return to the drawing-board and refocusing the plan.

My zest-for-life reawakening needs to be bigger than goofing in a pool. Having yielded to excess – and paid a price in relapse – I’m ready to do what it takes for the best total health possible. This sounds almost gullible, yet I’ve got some fundamental self-management choices to make, each with significant repercussions, not just in Parkinson’s disease management, but that apply to continued good health in the prevention and cure of most chronic ailments.

What exactly did I learn?

  1. I can’t play peek-a-boo with Parkinson’s. If PD doesn’t take a day off (and is always progressing), then I can’t either. A larger commitment requires a more complete focus.
  1. If medication is essential to successful self-management, then why would anyone knowingly limit its effectiveness with body chemistry fluctuations caused by poor eating, booze, and lifestyle high jinks? Face it, how healthy do you really want to be? 
  1. Being nonchalant about body chemistry invites scorn from some of the people I rely on the most – including myself…sort of are-you-crazy (?!) scorn. It’s not good to piss off the fan base.
  1. Making do with less and not wanting more is a wonderful philosophy. It’s got significant currency and broad relevance. It’s “Sustainability” in bumper sticker form. Make it a mantra.
  1. Embrace gratitude. Holiday travel to exotic locales with good friends and wonderful experiences is a gift that warms the soul forever. In the face of challenge celebrate what fortifies the fight.

Getting better with Parkinson’s may be therapeutically (theoretically?)  impossible based on current science and the published literature. 

Being better with Parkinson’s is within my realm. I’m glad for the opportunity to examine this more closely and the feeling of greater determination that has come from it.