Dear Parkinson’s
Dear Parkinson’s Disease,
Sometimes I feel tired. Exhausted by our fight. I wonder how I’ll get the energy to keep ahead of your progression. I have decided we need a new way of communicating. Instead of considering it a race between you and me, I have decided to view us as a team.
I can push and you set the boundaries. I am learning to read and accept when I’m pushing too hard and I back off. Similarly, I seize the moments when I can challenge myself and you yield. I’ve gone through many different phases along our 13 year journey. In 2008, you surprised me with your presence and I did not welcome you. I tried to keep you in hiding and you insisted on being seen. You forced me to announce you as my new companion.
I have come to know you: your rhythms; your ebbs and flows. We have created a dance. We sway and we trip. We glide and we falter. Sometimes we are synchronized. Other times disjointed. Some moments you shake me and other times you remain quiet. I tremble in your strength. You’ve shown me compassion and appreciation of life. You’ve challenged my resilience and fortitude. I face myself and my fears. I have shifted and adapted my dreams.
I feel my mortality in the face of your dominance. In some ways, I feel better now than I did in the early days of our union . And for this I am grateful.
With respect and gratitude,
-Miriam
About Miriam
I share my personal stories to offer a glimpse into what it is like to live with Young Onset Parkinson’s, revealing honest and intimate reflections. Hearing other people’s stories can be a lifeline for many of us living with this neurodegenerative disease. I hope to inspire and educate people living with Parkinson’s and to create community through shared experiences.