Hitting the Jackpot: A Diagnosis At Last!
Posy reacts oddly to her diagnosis. “I’m surprised you didn’t bring your husband with you to this appointment?” remarked the neurologist. Posy, still innocent of her fate, thought that would have been a bit over the top.
“I’m really sorry, but you have Parkinson’s. The DatScan revealed that you have extremely low levels of dopamine in your brain: 2.5 on your left, and barely any (1.5) on your right. As the right side of your brain controls the left side of your body, that explains the tremor in your left hand.”
Posy reached for a tissue from the box on his desk. She felt as though she were in a movie, and this would be where she should cry, as you see on TV when someone is diagnosed with cancer.
An interesting case
Instead, Posy was feeling weirdly triumphant, for she had finally been reassured that she was not a flake. She had a medical reason for her overwhelming fatigue, constant muscle ache, and stiff hands. She really was not expecting this diagnosis, but it was kind of a relief. Well, maybe at first!
“I wish you were not moving away”, continued the neurologist. “I would have loved to have you as my patient. You are an interesting case, as you just don't present as a Parkinson's patient.”
Inordinately flattered, Posy cheered up. Oh, well, at least she had something going for her!
Realizing it was serious
Immediately following that appointment, Posy had to was not really able to process the seriousness of the information, as she had to rush off to have a minor procedure on her knee.
Therefore, for another hour, she chatted amiably to the nurses. As always, she responded brightly to “How are you?” with “Oh, I’m fine, thanks!”
However, on calling her husband with the news, she had been a little shaken by the shock and concern in his voice. “Stay there. I’ll meet you in the car park.” He was upset. Very upset. Oh dear. Posy was beginning to realize that this diagnosis was an actual BAD thing that had happened.
Afraid to tell her dad
Posy and her husband had been looking after her father for 3 years since her darling Mum had died suddenly in 2014. He had lost his eyesight to a very cruel macular degeneration in 2002. His wife, the absolute love of his life, had become his caregiver. His world had shattered when she died.
Posy and her capable sister had immediately and unhesitatingly taken over his care, as they loved him so much, and, as they constantly reminded him, they were happy to repay him for being such a wonderful father. It was a sobering thought that Posy herself might need care one day...ugh!
But for now, she just felt lost and weepy and child-like. She immediately longed to tell him, so that he could make it all better, as she always had (and still often did!) “Please don’t tell him”, said her sister, sensibly, “It will finish him off.” Parkinson’s is an unkind disease.
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