Accepting Parkinson's Disease
I am terrified by my diagnosis. I'm scared most of the time. I have battled and controlled BiPolar since I was 40 yrs of age. That took time, but I got there, and have had no relapses. But this! This thing that has decided to invade my body. I'm having trouble coming to terms with it. I feel guilty about my reaction and have kept it to myself. I live alone but I have a very supportive family and group of friends. But it always, for me, comes back to this Thing that has invaded me. There is no cure, yet. Medication & treatments are prolonging our lives; but Parkinson's, now after 5 years, is taking its revenge on all aspects of my life. I'm slowing down, my cognition is not as it should be, my days of driving are dwindling. As retirement looms i find myself wondering- will i have the energy to Fight. And I'm scared. Scared.
I'm retired and also alone, so I'm scared too. I find it difficult to get out and join activities that keep my friendships alive, so I wonder what will happen to me when I can't go out by myself anymore. I hope to be able to rely on the Parkinson's community for help and support, as I have no family in the area and am almost 80 years old. You're not really alone - keep in touch and cultivate your friendships!
Thank you
