From One Perspective

by Christine Hall

 “You can observe a lot by watching.”... Yogi Berra

Hodgepodge

 Once again you reap the questionable benefits of my wandering mind. I am still feeling lazy after a great holiday and have no great inspiration.

 #1 Comfort Levels

Not having to explain yourself to anyone is a great holiday in itself, and finding others just like you is a real bonus.  We spent a good deal of this month with people who have Parkinson’s, their care-partners, families and friends.  It sounds trite just to say we had a good time but we really did have just that. Nowhere else do you experience the comfort level of knowing that you are with people who truly understand.  I wonder how many people can say that and mean it. Who else would open up their home to a gaggle of guests who show up at the door? Where else would you find a whole crowd who will share anything and everything with you, including their medication when you run out? Standing, sitting, coming, going, swaying, shaking, sleeping, laughing, … Everyone together; doing their own thing, but still together. You see it. You feel it.  You live it. People helping people and showing their caring so naturally and so concretely. Such total acceptance is a rare commodity.   I don’t really want to write too much about it because I am still luxuriating in it all and don’t want the feeling to go away by being over- analysed.

  It has been a wonderful month and some day it will become an emotion-filled reminiscence in the book I’ll write.  But for now my only thought is that only nicest people are dealt the Parkinson’s card. Thanks, not just to Carl, Carol, Ron, Patti, Nan, Tom, Brenda, Mike, Beth, but also to many of you who were in our thoughts and conversations while we were together. 

#2 Questions

 Some “deep” questions to ponder when you feel like it (or for when the golf tournament is over!).   People’s responses will really surprise you.

1. What have you accomplished in your life that you are really proud of?

2. If you could change one decision you’ve made, what would it be?

3. What was the most embarrassing moment of your life? (It’s interesting to hear the difference that age makes to this one)

 

Those who took Communications 101 or Psych 101 will likely remember with horror exercises like this that were videotaped, but try it again in a more mellow setting and see what you learn.

#3 ONLY IN CANADA, eh 

I returned home on Wednesday to be greeted by a cheery message from our Ministry of Transportation informing me that my drivers license will be suspended on October 9 unless I return a full medical report to them.  I am under review because I take Mirapex and it was thought to cause sudden sleep attacks. (Further research is disputing this claim). Not everyone who takes Mirapex in Ontario goes through this – just a small number of us whose doctors had to report first that we were on the drug.  Many of my friends who take it have heard nothing. There is no set policy or consistency. Every three months I’ve had to submit neurological reports and take an Epworth Sleep test. Then they have a conference and decide to let me retain my license, but I am always under the gun.  Now they want a medical including mental competency information, addiction history, and a full body systems account from the day I was born. All this is requested with absolutely no evidence that my driving is in any way impaired.  The anonymous voice on the end of the line tells me that this is routine! Routine, my foot. Either someone has submitted a medical report I don’t know about or they have targeted certain of us for full exams. No one is “available” from the medical panel to discuss my situation with them.  Rarely do I get spitting mad these days but hear me roar on this one.  I am angry at this harassment and have written a letter to everyone I can think of with copies to my member of parliament, the minister of transportation and my neuro. Can you hear me screaming? Has it happened to anyone else?

From My Perspective
By Christine Hall ,