[RIchard]

I have the same problems wit constipation.  1 cap full per day works per day.  urgent urination an annoying problem for me. I Urinate 3-4 times per. night    I wear my adsorbent pads 24/7.I’m trying a new technique which seems to cut down on wetting myself.

I keep a small flexible clear plastic (6-8 oz) cup within reach of the toilet. When I have the urge, I get to the bathroom as quickly as possible and grab the cup and shove it between my legs to catch the urine. I stand at the bowl about a a minute and some times I pour the accumulated urine back in the bowl and stand there a little longer to catch any remaining drops.

[RIchard]

The thing that concerns me most is my balance because the consequences of a fall can be so serious.

I walk about a mile virtually every day and do balance exercises. In the past 3 yrs I’ve had 3 minor scrapes.  After getting up I do a self check of what caused the fall and how to prevent it from happening again.  I’m open to all suggestions,

[RIchard]

Amen to that John!  In addition to cherishing and appreciating those who are closest to you, I’ve also taken up reuniting descendants of past generations that have been lost.  It’s fun and exciting to have family zoom meetings.  Getting started is simple:

1. send your saliva sample to 23 and me

2. Get a genealogy program like MyHeritage or Ancestry.com

3. Start contact the relatives you find.

I’ll be happy to help.

[RIchard]

You asked how PD has changed the way I experience the world, since being diagnosed with PD.  The answer is quite a lot in very profound ways that I never would have suspected.

When I was first diagnosed, I was stunned… I mean I was living a pretty healthy lifestyle, not overweight , exercising regularly… how could I get an incurable disease (not lethal, but still).  And then the symptoms stared piling on (involuntary tremors, runny nose, urinary urgency, balance issues, voice, and handwriting changes, etc.)  I had lots of Dr appointments, my work was more difficult to get through, and I really started worrying about my fate.  Instead of being man of the house, I felt I would be bedridden requiring constant care, etc.

So, I started doing some research and found out that there was a whole community spearheaded by the Michael J Foxx (back to the future) Foundation.  I also found out that I had a rather mild case of the disease compared to some folks, but I was still wondering what I was going to do with myself until one day I was discussing this with my wife (who, lucky for me is the most wonderful woman in the world) lamenting that I wasn’t as strong as I used to be and it was harder to fix thing around the house, when she said:  “Look, I want you to just take care of me and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Could this work?  Could it be that simple? So, we decided to try it.  I started thinking about what I needed to do.  “Taking Care Of” could mean a lot of things.  My intuition told me that what was really most important was to always be there for her no matter what, to be her mental and emotional rock, a shelter from every storm. There were some light things like washing the dishes, making the coffee…but it was the emotional support that was clearly the most important.  And yes, I tell her how much I love her, appreciate all the care you give them, how happy they  make you.  And I do this morning noon and night.  And when I say that I’ll  be there for them-I always keep your word.

And you know what.  This was something that I was really good at.  And what started out as an idea became my mission.  And this is the way I want to show up.  And rather than feeling these tasks as a burden, they really made me feel happy and content.  And I started being hyper aware and understanding of other people’s struggles.  So, I decided to expand my mission to include my whole family.  Sometimes all I needed to do was to compassionately listen to them talking out an issue they had or thanking them for something they had done (e.g., making dinner at a family gathering.)  I am still learning, but so far, my love for these people has grown stronger and so has their love for me.

I know that I am not the first person to discover these insights (this is what the Dali Lama preaches) but I never imagined how profoundly personal its effects would be.

And my PD…It has just become a fact of life, and it does not control me.  Yes, I still have symptoms, but I think about them differently.  Instead of feeling stigmatized with a shuffling gate or involuntary tremors, I feel we are heroes struggling against a medical foe and not giving up.  And surprisingly some of my PD symptoms have gotten less or disappeared.  I attribute this to meditation, exercise, but mostly from the joy and meaning I derive from taking care of my family.  And despite my physical weakness and unsteadiness of gait, I have never felt stronger and have never been happier in my whole life.

Now know that some of you may be reading this (including my former self) and think that I must be a special kind of person to be able to do this. But you would be mistaken.  All it takes is the intention and putting your self in someone else’s shoes.  Appreciate your blessings and thank everyone for everything