They say life can be a series of battles.
Some battles you win, some you lose.
Some times the only option is to fight the good fight, even though you know you can't win.
When you are living with Parkinson's it is a full on war.
It's you against PD and its allies.
You and your body have a civil defense army already set-up. This home army protects you against the common cold, flues, outside attacks (injuries). There are far away outposts, and core facilities.
As well you have the outside allies, the doctors, who are ready to assist you, at a moments notice.
Like a war, there are times when it is a raging battle, whole landscapes are changed, collateral damage is everywhere, innocent lives are destroyed. Other times it's a gorilla war, with both sides secretly ambushing the other side.
It sort of plays out like the old British war movies of the 50's and 60's (Everyone under the age of 50 is scratching their heads). The plot for these movies was generally the same.
The hero would risk life and limb retrieving the piece of important intelligence. He/she would bring it to the attention of the high command. (Every one of these movies had the big map with ladies moving pieces around the board). Nobody would believe them, until it was almost too late.
Meanwhile the hero would fall in love. Only the hero could save the day, and he would, but not before his best friend sacrificed himself for the cause.
You sort of know the war is coming in the beginning. But it usually takes a couple of years for head quarters (HQ) to take the reports from the front seriously.
The enemy starts by sending out it's spies, and saboteurs. Attacking small outposts, things head quarters would not notice. HQ starts to hear reports from the frontiers, communication to the right flank has been disrupted. The right arm no longer moves as well as it should. The report comes in and HQ claims bad maintenance. The olfactory sensors have gone off line. That report is buried as non existent. But wait! The sensors are working but seem to be giving false readings. Again HQ ignores the reports.
Then comes the first of the major attacks. The primary drive is no longer able to maintain proper working functions. Again the enemy disguises this attack, and HQ passes the report off to the appropriate department for study. It could be diabetes, high blood pressure, prostrate any manner of things. HQ counters with the pill (take as needed, when the time is right). Life returns to normal.
Up until this time the enemy has chosen not to reveal itself. Well that is about to change.
The attack on the right arm continues. Despite continued reports HQ ignores them.
Then very subtly, the right hand starts to malfunction. The fingers start to stiffen up. HQ says a touch of arthritis. Reports are streaming in from all over the territory. Attacks, aches and pains where there were none before, and no cause can be found. Again HQ puts it down to age related.
While all this is happening HQ has been very busy maintaining the territory, fighting off colds. the flue, maybe diabetes. On a daily basis.
But no one was ready for the next open attack.
The tremor appears !!!!!!!
HQ goes into stage one alert! What is it? Where did it come from? What or who has caused this?
Is this an isolated incident, is it connected to the other attacks? Reports from HQ are saying no.
HQ decides to contact the outside expert, the Doctor.
The first atomic bomb drops.
The enemy is identified
Parkinson's or PD !!!!!
HQ is rattled, the internal communications are down, HQ goes to stage 4 alert. Complete lock down, nothing in or out!
Eventually HQ gets the systems up and running , but the landscape has been changed forever.
Now the war is on.
HQ Counters with medications.
PD counters by diverting some of the medications to places it should not go, causing unwanted side effects. Collateral Damage can be severe. The support network is shaken.
This is the point in the movie when the hero looses all hope ,and is found by his mates in a seedy bar. With a lady of questionable morals. And is convinced the beautiful costar still loves him (and the costar is okay with the questional lady ????). And that only he can fly / drive/ boat the final mission.
PD attempts to sever the external support network.
HQ changes the meds.
HQ orders a vigorous exercise program.
The exercise programs seems to have PD back on its heels.
PD counters the exercise programs with unrelated pains and Dystonia.
PD attacks HQ at night, causing HQ to stay on high alert during the night.
HQ plans to counter with its own gorilla warfare. Learning music, doing puzzles, improves the communication within HQ. Old, lost pathways are bypassed and new ones set up.
PD counters by renewed attacks. The meds don't seem to last as long as they once did.
HQ orders a change in the med program.
The war seems to be at a stalemate, but each side is still active against the other.
What PD does not know is HQ is only employing a series of diversions and delays.
Slowing PD down, but with full knowledge that some day HQ can drop a bomb of it's own.
That my friends is Deep Brain Stimulation or DBS.
DBS would set PD back years! But PD has a spy network looking for weaknesses.
Funny how life works .Who would have thought one would actually look forward to invasive brain surgery.
But until then I will continue to fight the good fight .
Make sure HQ counters every PD move.
I wrote this because for the first time in a long time I've gone 3 consecutive days to the gym.
PD did not care for that, and has let me know it! An entire "off" day even though I never missed a dose. Dystonia in my hamstrings. It seems every time I find something that improves me, or eases the symptoms, PD Strikes Back! (Hmm good name for a movie).
But the number one weapon I have that PD can not counter, is the love and caring I receive from Cheryl. And my love for her. She makes the days worth getting up for.
And PD can't take that away.
Life for everyone is a series of little battles. All that really matters is not how you respond to the loses. But more importantly is how you deal with the successes. For celebrating the wins no matter how small , can make the loses seem a whole lot smaller.
The thing about PD is it's a long campaign. With the war spread out over years, not days. There will be days when you wake up and just want stay in bed. Other days when you almost realize what normal was.
But in the 6 years I have been fighting, it's winning the small every day battles that count the most.
For they lay the foundation for the bigger victories.
Remember It's only Inconvenient
With each new Dawn is a new Day
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