Prayer of a Parkinson's Patient

It has been a very long time since I tried my hand at poetry, but this week I began writing out some of the things I was thinking and feeling and out of those thoughts came this poem. I hope it blesses and encourages you.

The Handicap Placard

Sitting in the doctor’s office, having just heard the news, still stunned, I look over at my wife, she gives me an encouraging smile, and says to the doctor and I, “Now I know this is going to make you upset honey…”, and right there, I knew where this was going.

We Are So Blessed - Great Article

It is easy for all of us to get lost, and to lose the perspective we so desperately need. The article below provides a wonderful reminder, whether you have Parkinson's or not, that we are in fact very blessed. We can choose to focus on all the negative, or choose to realize that in spite of the negative, we still have so much to be thankful for. As Dr. Suess reminds us, "Just tell yourself duckie, you're really quite lucky." 

Do You Know How Lucky You Are?

That "Life Stinks" Bucket is Getting Pretty Full

As a young man, I thought the bucket was full after my arthritis diagnosis (silly boy). Surely it was full after emergency stomach surgery and a hip replacement by 19, but no it was not. Well definitely after my sister passed from cancer and my dad had cancer (not to mention my wife’s very difficult pregnancies). It was still not full, even after 2 more hip replacements – how big was this bucket anyway?

Some Tears Are Needed

It’s a normal day, well, as normal as my days get. Someone comes up to me and simply asks how am I doing. I start talking, and for no reason I can pinpoint (or that I want to admit), my eyes well up with tears, and I begin to cry. Embarrassed and frustrated, I simply stop talking, and we stare at each other in silence, neither one sure what to say or do next.

At 85, Frankie Valli Still Rocks!

I have a very eclectic taste in music. If you can think of the time period, or a genre, I can probably find the song or an artist that I enjoy. Out of all the music though, my favorite is music is from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. There’s just something about this music that speaks to my soul. I love it. I have a huge record collection, and my iTunes music library has over 5,000 songs in it. But out of all the music I love, there is no singer I love more than Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

I Am So Tired of the Fight

29 years. It’s been 29 years since I first heard the words, you have arthritis. I was only 15 years old at the time and I had no way of knowing just how long this journey would be, and at times, how challenging and exhausting it would be some days.