I can remember when I finally received my PD diagnosis. Almost everyday, I recall a bit of advice that my neurologist shared with me. I can remember thinking out loud, "Okay, I have PD; now what am I gonna do?" My neurologist suggested to me that even on my most difficult of days that I should keep my brain active and my hands busy. Even sitting still, my neurologist wanted me to remain active. This did not happen overnight. I have learned to enjoy living with PD by doing what I feel passionate about.

I love to crochet. I remember sitting with my grandmother when I was 12 years old and learning to crochet. Little did I know at the time that the "gift" of crocheting would, in later years, bring me a sense of peace. When I am suffering the most with PD, I can pick up a crochet hook and yarn, get in a quiet place, and stitch and stitch. Counting stitches keeps my brain active. Crocheting stitches keeps my hands busy. The memories of my grandmother and I crocheting are precious and peaceful.

I love to mess and dabble in flowers. My two favorite flowers are Pansies and Petunias. With the PD I am not able to keep a huge garden. I can keep Pansies and Petunias though. Each morning and evening of the summer days I have found peace in "plunking" my petunias. "Plunking" is removing the withered blossoms so room can be made for more blossoms to grow. My grandfather once told me that in order to see God’s beauty in the wintertime all I needed to do was look into the face of a Pansy blossom. Now that fall is soon approaching, I have the faces of the pansy blossoms to look forward to.

I love PLWP. My life has changed since I have become a part of the PLWP family. PLWP keeps my brain active and my hands busy. PLWP is an answer to a twenty-two year prayer. Thank you PLWP.

Doing and being a part of what I feel passionate about increases the positives in my quality of living. What do you love? What do you feel passionate about? Reading? Writing? Helping those affected by PD? For me, remaining passionately busy with the things that I love such as God, crocheting, petunias, pansies, and my friends and family here at PLWP keeps my quality of life in a "peaceful" balance.

Faith and hope,

Sandy Norris

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