Carol R.
I was diagnosed with Parkinson's when I was 63, I'm 78 now. One doctor said I had Neuropathy. It wasn't Neuropathy.
I said this is not happening to me.
Ultimately Parkinson's made me retire. I didn't have the strength to get up every morning and sometimes I had to get up at six. I was so exhausted. I just couldn't drag myself out of bed. I just didn't have the energy to do it. Plus being alone wasn’t easy.
Now I have this companion. We're not married. He helps me. He takes me to the doctor sometimes. We're living in sin.
The great thing is, I go out. People don't even know I have Parkinson's. I'm sitting here now and I'm not tremoring or anything. But I notice I'm quieter, I don't talk as much at gatherings and if I sit down too long, I'm stiff like a board.
If you socialize you don't think about your problems. When you isolate yourself you think more of your problems. I go to the opera. I go to the Philharmonic. I go to the dance groups. I love it. I get out and I'm lucky that I have somebody to take me and it's fun. Just enjoy your life. Take every day, every day, get up and say I have aches and pains, but I know I'm alive.
I said this is not happening to me.
Ultimately Parkinson's made me retire. I didn't have the strength to get up every morning and sometimes I had to get up at six. I was so exhausted. I just couldn't drag myself out of bed. I just didn't have the energy to do it. Plus being alone wasn’t easy.
Now I have this companion. We're not married. He helps me. He takes me to the doctor sometimes. We're living in sin.
The great thing is, I go out. People don't even know I have Parkinson's. I'm sitting here now and I'm not tremoring or anything. But I notice I'm quieter, I don't talk as much at gatherings and if I sit down too long, I'm stiff like a board.
If you socialize you don't think about your problems. When you isolate yourself you think more of your problems. I go to the opera. I go to the Philharmonic. I go to the dance groups. I love it. I get out and I'm lucky that I have somebody to take me and it's fun. Just enjoy your life. Take every day, every day, get up and say I have aches and pains, but I know I'm alive.