Positivities

Parkinson’s Disease is horrid so for once I’m pleased to share two things which have improved for me since diagnosis. The first is my table tennis prowess which is already documented in this blog. Now, at last, I can add another positive outcome in that my ability to paint has improved. This is in the emulsion and gloss decorating sense rather than in the Van Gogh artistic sense although I should perhaps try that too to see if there’s an improvement. We’ve tried to analyse the reasons why I get a better finish, with no drips, no mess on the floor or on me and brushes with clean handles. The reason is, we think, because like everything else I paint more slowly, carefully and determinedly rather than in my slapdash, pre-Parkinson’s frantic rush to finish.

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I recently came upon this inspiring account of Astronaut Rich Clifford’s journey with Parkinson’s disease. See http://patients.aan.com/resources/neurologynow/index.cfm?event=home.showArticle&id=ovid.com%3A%2Fbib%2Fovftdb%2F01222928-201208020-00016

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I think my sense of smell must still be OK. My Dutch neighbour and I were invited to one of those demo/selling parties for cleaning materials at a neighbour’s house. At one stage we were invited to smell and discuss the bouquets of several different lavatory cleaning products. The thought of us all sitting sniffing toilet cleaners struck both of us funny at the same time and we had one of those horrendous moments when our shoulders shook and tears ran down our faces. The more we tried to stop the worse our convulsions became and, of course, nobody else could see the joke. Needless to say, we haven’t been invited to another party.