Courage

 

cour·age

noun

noun: courage

the ability to do something that frightens one.

"she called on all her courage to face the ordeal"

strength in the face of pain or grief.

"he fought his illness with great courage"

I have recently thought about this word. 

What caused me to think about courage. 

Is  

Myself, and two other Parkies were asked to participate in a brainstorming session. 

One of the questions : What have you done lately, that has given you the most feeling of pride. 

Answer : At the end ( no peaking ) 

So back on topic 

cour·age

noun

noun: courage

the ability to do something that frightens one.

"she called on all her courage to face the ordeal"

strength in the face of pain or grief.

"he fought his illness with great courage"

What is it really.  

For different people it is different things 

For the Parkie  

Is it just being able to take part in normal day activities. Being able to go to work. Do the job. Even when your meds are no longer working, and it takes ten minutes to type a single line of text. Because you have to repeatedly go back and retype the words. 

Going to meet that client at 2:30 pm. Even though your meds stopped working a hour before. And the ones you just took will take another hour to kick in, maybe. 

It's getting up this morning knowing today will be no different than yesterday, 

It struggling to get motivated when going to the gym , or getting on the stationary bike, or what ever instrument of torture you prefer.  

When after going to the gym  for 8 to 10 years, and your not seeing an improvement. Or actually feel like you are sliding backward. And still trying to go to the gym. 

It's hanging on until 10 pm. to get the only relief  ... Sleep 

For the Care giver

Courage is watching someone you have loved for forty- fifty years. Slowly slip away.  

Watch as PD changes that person to some-one you no longer know. 

Encouraging them to remain positive. While remaining positive yourself in the face of everything above. Comforting, when at the end of the day. The PD is making my toe curl, my wrist burn, My skin crawl. 

It's accepting the depression , the apathy, the ICD crap. All the side effects that go with all the drugs a Parkie has to take on a daily basis. 

Now take everything above, and multi that by 365 days. With Parkinson's there are no days off . 

 

Answer to the question  

All three of us answered the same 

Just getting up this morning. Knowing I have that 2:30 pm meeting and  I still go. Or what ever you ay have to do.  That I am still able to work. Putting in 8 hours in if I have to. Taking an active part in society.   

I also want to acknowledge all those suffering with a similar fate as a Parkie. Or worse. Their struggle is real as well.

But this is a blog about PD 

Remember "It's only inconvenient"