Surprise Surprise

Hi I’m John. In 2007 while working as a police officer I noticed a shake in my outstretched arm/hand when my arm is to set something down. The second thing I noticed was during a run I struggled, I had a drag with my right arm. My left arm would swing without thought. After a neurologist visit and MRI I received the call no one wants. “You have Parkinson’s disease”. I’m stunned, terrified, scared to death and confused.

Parkinson's diagnosis

Since then my first neurologist was let go for drug addiction, then there was the neurologist who sat talking to me the entire appointment while I laid on the floor crying in pain from foot and leg cramps. After 8 neurologists I might have a good one. Now I'm lucky. How? Why? What? Well let me explain… my diagnoses is slow progressing. Until the past few years it suddenly went on fast track. The medication does not work more than half the time, I stutter-step my way around, still have foot and leg cramps or completely can’t function normally at all. Then there are times I function almost at 100% because my medications work. My life now revolves around two hour increments of taking medactions then praying they work and often they don’t. I don’t sleep, another side affect of Parkinson’s, everyday is a mental struggle as well, don’t get me started on food… protein stops the absorption of carbidopa levidopa, other foods can't be eaten at all.

To sum it up I am tortured daily and the truth is it will continue to get worse not better. It’s degenerative. For now I appreciate what I have. My wife, adult kids, our life.