30 Days of Parkinson’s: Learning to Dance at the Unplanned Party

Photo courtesy of Lori DePorter

Day 4 of 30

This is Lori DePorter’s story:

For the past six years, I’ve been a guest at a party that I never imagined attending — “The Parkie Party.” However, my invitation arrived and the RSVP did not give the option to decline. Nor did it say when it will end. 

So, what have I been doing at this six-year party? Well, I’m not in the fast lane but I’ve been living like everyone else. While it hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine, it hasn’t been all gloom and doom either. There is still good in my life. Parkinson’s has changed my life but it has not taken it. 

My diagnosis changed the plan and it changed me. I went from being an engineer working from home while raising a family to becoming a fitness instructor and an author. I also started dating again — my husband, Mike, and I have a dance lesson date once a week. 

I could not have imagined a scenario that would weave all of those together, at least not until now. Granted, I don’t always understand it, but I firmly believe that God has put me exactly where I need to be at all of the crossroads of my life, including my Parkinson’s diagnosis. 

Am I ready for the party to end? Absolutely! We all have other plans. But until the party’s over, we keep going and keep living one day at a time. When it’s a challenge to start the day, we concentrate on the first 10 minutes, and then the next. We make it. 

So, I leave you with that … a life reimagined … and sometimes only 10 minutes at a time.

Note: Lori DePorter writes the “Life, Lemons, and Lemonade” column for Parkinson’s News Today.

Parkinson’s News Today’s 30 Days of Parkinson’s campaign will publish one story per day for Parkinson’s Awareness Month in April. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more stories like this, using the hashtag #30DaysofPAR, or go here to see the full series.