“10 Years Together”

I just realized I am a day late with this, but this is one anniversary it’s okay to be wrong about. And as long as we’re being honest, it’s only semi-accurate anyway. The noticable symptoms started in March, 2013

It was January 28, 2014, a Tuesday, when I received the first diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Frankly, I knew it was PD, but I had yet to hear a doctor say it to me. And the doctor to say it to me was frankly the wrong doctor. Her approach was seemingly nice, yet straight-forward in a way that said, “let’s jump into this without giving you time to process what I just said.” I really wanted to say, “Oh yeah? Well your hair is ugly!” (No really, it looked like she hadn’t been to a salon in years!) But I held back.

I only saw this doctor one more time about 5 months later and that’s when it became apparent we needed to do something more.

Most of you know the old story by now. 2014 got really weird after that appointment, but one of the saving graces was the excursion to Mayo Clinic that September for a second opinion and a more firm diagnosis of this disease. It would be another 4 years before I started any medication.

Together we have learned a lot over the last 10 years. (And by we, I mean you, dear reader, and me.) Things like:

• Everyone who has Parkinson’s has a different disease. No two cases are the same.
• I’ve probably been dealing with this longer than I know after having learned some of the more not-so-obvious symptoms.
• The medicines are helpful, but you really need to communicate with your doctors about what works and what doesn’t work. The difference of adding or subtracting a pill or two can make all the difference in the world… but it has to happen again and again because it can all change in an instant.

The one good thing that first Movement Specialist said after she barged in and greeted me with, “You have Parkinsons,” was that she expected I would live for several more decades. One down; several more to go!