April Showers bring May Flowers and Awareness!

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month.  It’s a time to get any/all information regarding Parkinson’s out there for the public to see/hear.
 

This month I have been reminded of last November when my husband and I participated in a walk in DC to support my Father.  Moving Day is held every year; and in different cities throughout the year.  It's a chance for people to get out and 'move' for Parkinson's.  Movement is used as a symbol of hope and progress because of its vital role in treating the disease. 

For me, the day was very emotional and therapeutic.  From the moment my husband and I arrived at Nationals Park I could feel the energy.  Now, I know that I’m not alone in this quest; never have been.  But to actually see and feel the intense energy from complete strangers was a bit overwhelming.  I fought off tears (unsuccessfully) for the first 30 minutes, trying to distract myself and take in the importance of the day.  There was a four-man blues band playing, group exercises, freebies and information galore.  It was a beautiful day filled with a whole lot of love and hope!

This year our calendar is marked for Moving Day in November.  And I have an idea for our team t-shirt design this year.  So keep your fingers crossed that the weather is nice. 

 If you’re interesting in participating in a walk in your area or know someone who may be, here is the link to the moving day website: http://www3.parkinson.org/site/PageServer?pagename=moving_day_home_page

Below I have attached the status I posted on my Facebook wall the morning of the walk.  For my family and I every day is ‘moving day’. 

Moving Day 2012:

“Today I am heading to DC for Moving Day in support of a special man in my life.  A man who taught me that being successful doesn't mean how much money you have or how fancy your car is but how hard you work.  A man who was married at a young age; and has been married to the same person for over 50 years.  A man who taught his children to work hard and don't expect to have things ' handed' to you; and not to feel that the World owes you.  Respect others but don't allow people to walk all over you.  A man who worked from the age of 16 until retirement for an unappreciative company and boss being paid less than what he deserved.  Staying at this job so that my Mom could be a stay-at-home Mom while my brothers and I were growing up.  A man who made sure we had a warm house, clothes on our backs, food in our bellies and a family vacation every year.  I may not have had the latest, newest, coolest toys out there but I never wanted for anything ... and I always appreciated everything.  I had/have a loving family who I can always count on.

Today I am walking in support of my Father and all those who are or have suffered from this disrespectful disease.

FUCK YOU, Parkinson's.  I hate you for stripping my Father of a relaxing, enjoyable retirement and for making him a prisoner in his own body and mind.

I'm in ... are you?

Go Team Phil!”


Moving Day, November 2012, Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.

Don't Sit Still.

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month.  And part of that is 'What will I (or anyone) do to help get awareness out there?"  What better way to get awareness out there then to blog about it . . . 

~  I am a member of the Fox Trial Finder which was developed by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (http://www.michaeljfox.org) to help people find opportunities to participate in clinical trials.

~  I will be participating in upcoming Parkinson's Walks throughout the year.
~  And I recently added two tattoos to my current collection.  In December I had the MJF Foundation 'Fox' logo tattooed on my wrist; and the phrase, "I'm in.  Are you?" tattooed on the top of my foot.  The phrase can be found on T-shirts that are available for purchase; and it's used in video campaigns.

I decided to get more involved because my Father was diagnosed about five years ago with Parkinson's disease.  Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the brain that leads to shaking (tremors), difficulty in walking, movement and coordination.  As of now, there is no cure for the disease.  And anyone who has a family member or themselves that have been diagnosed knows that it is both hard on that person and their family. 



I'd like to share a cute story involving my dog, Ellie and my Father.  Whenever my husband and I go on a trip, my parents will watch Ellie.  She loves going to 'Pappy and Grandma's house.'  And, of course, she gets spoiled while she's there; my Father gives her ice cream (frozen yogurt) every night, and my Mom takes her for several walks throughout the day.

Back in November Ellie had gone to stay with my parents while my husband and I were traveling.  And on one of those days my Father had one of his 'bad days'.  His bad days can vary with different levels of symptom severity.  On this particular day my Father was feeling sick to his stomach, he had the shakes and he had a nervous, agitated feeling ... he just couldn't 'get comfortable in his own skin'.  So he was sitting up on the edge of his recliner with his hands on his face, elbows resting on his legs.  

Now, when my Father is nervous, Ellie is nervous.  So Ellie had been pacing the floor in the living room and dining room; keeping an eye on my Father.  Then Ellie walked over to him and sat down in front of him as if he had a toy or a treat for her.  My Father knew she was there, and without moving or looking, said, "Hey, Dog!" which is how he normally addresses her.  She wagged her tail and then walked away only to walk back over to him and sit down in front of him again.   Before my Mother or my Father knew it, Ellie took her head and laid it down on my Father's knees and looked up at him with her puppy-dog eyes.  I truly think she was trying to comfort my Father right then and there.  It's moments like this that warm my heart.  And for that short moment in time my Father had some comfort from that stupid disease that has taken over his body and his entire life!

My dream is that one day there will be a cure for Parkinson's disease.  And as for right now, I will do everything that I can to help in finding that cure and getting awareness out there about this disease.  "I'm in.  Are you?"

(The Title of my blog, "Don't Sit Still", is taken from one of the T-shirts that can be purchased on the MJF Foundation website, http://shop.michaeljfox.org/.  I love this phrase because it is a very powerful saying when you relate it to Parkinson's; both as a patient and someone who is active in finding a cure.)

(Side-note:  I believe that animals are truly the most sensitive beings on Earth.  You can most likely find me signing petitions for animal rights and posting articles and/or photos of animals on several of my profile pages.  I am involved with the Jane Goodall Institute, the Centre For Orangutan Protection and Red Apes out of Borneo, just to name a few.  I help spread the word about how important it is to help save these orphans and our environment.  I also make donations periodically, and purchase orangutan and chimp-related items, to help out these causes . . . . . .  I am a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves!)