The Human Condition On PD. | MyParkinsonsTeam

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The Human Condition On PD.
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member asked a question 💭

I have heard many, many stories from people who have PD. The most advanced PDers have a lot to share with us. I just posted a lady that I put on my team recently and she said that she gets to the point where she can't do things the way she used to so she figures out another way to do it. Could you share with us some of those moments where you couldn't get something done one way but you figured out how to do it another way?
Sterling

posted September 29, 2016
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A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

@A MyParkinsonsTeam Member , i kinda have an answer for you. After my encephalitis I had serious memory problems of all sorts. Even now there are big holes in my long term memory. I also still struggle with short term and intermediate term memory but that is luckily improving. But to deal with long term memory I Goggle like crazy whenever I can or check things out with friends or family. This results: a) I am able to re-claim the memory and that feels really good; b) I remember but it is like I read someone else's diary or c) it does not "ring a bell"- I just can not relate to that memory at all. For short term or working memory: a) i use my computer / smart phone calendar like crazy; b) I use the alarm on my smart phone extensively; c) I read and study a lot and this seems to help me do better d) I take a lot of notes either on a small paper notebook I carry in my backpack / briefcase or use the notepad on my smart phone. These are not perfect but helpful. I hope you can find some of these helpful as well. BLESSINGS and HUGS.

posted October 9, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

Had no idea so many suffer with dry eye and it is something you need to stay on top of as permanent damage e can occur. I have been treated for 10 years. Here is my daily regiment. First thing when I wake up eye drops Nd eye wipe. Use drops , Systane,, 4-5 times a day. Have plugs in my eyes for the second time. Wash my eyes with BAby Shampoo once a day. At night apply coconut cream around eye lids so they don't dry up and flack and can't get them open. Before I go to sleep apply a heated eye mask for 5 minutes. If this was not so important believe me I would l d not be doing this. If your eyes are itchy, red and vision problems, please go see an optometrist. It effects mostly women. Hope this helps! Bonnie

posted October 9, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

I get my housework and supper and whatever has to be done in chunks. Most of the time I don't have the energy to do it and my back always hurts when I stand up for a while.
I started doing everything in chunks. I do some until my back starts to hurt then I go sit down. This always helps bring my back back to painless, then I get up again and do a bit more. I repeat and repeat until I get what I want to do done.. At least this way I am getting things done. I don't set my goals so high that I can't achieve them. I make it reasonable amount of tasks. I always feel so good after this, knowing that I have done some work that had to be done. My husband has chores as well which makes everything work so well. We share the work. He has the harder chores like washing the floors.

posted October 7, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

I have trouble making the bed now, so I broke it down into stages. Sometimes I can only do one corner of the bottom sheet then I have to sit down - other times I can do all four corners before I have to sit down. After resting a while I go back and do the top sheet, etc. It used to take me two minutes to make the bed.

I vacuum one room and rest, another room and rest, etc. Sometimes I even do the rooms on separate days!

I keep a small pad and a pen in my purse at all times and I write down everything someone says to me that I might need to refer to later - a doctor's name, the name of a book, the name of a store.

When I'm cooking with a recipe, I triple check the directions, ingredients and quantities with the item in my hand, before adding it to the pot. One time I was making a recipe that called for chili powder, and I had the cinnamon jar in my hand!

I have just this week decided to start using a cane. I do not have tremors, so before I started using the cane it was not as obvious to the "outside world" that anything was wrong - except that I was so SLOW. I've discovered that after exercising and late in the afternoon, my legs do not cooperate as well and I don't want to risk falling down!

If I go to WalMart or Lowe's with my husband, or anyplace that requires a lot of walking and standing and I know there won't be anyplace to sit down, I take my cane/chair so I can sit down whenever I need to. It's actually great fun and usually brings a lot of smiles to those around me - most are jealous!

I have given up driving at night. During the day I can only drive about 15-20 minutes max because I get drowsy.

If I'm trying to read a book, I can only read about 20 minutes before falling asleep. Takes me a long time to get through a book. I'm still in a book club, but I try to stay at least one month ahead on the book list.

I have friends who switched to Velcro strap shoes instead of tie shoes. I've seen blouses and shirts online that look "regular" from the front, but the buttons are sewn on and the blouses/shirts close with Velcro!

I love my grab bar in my stall shower and hold on for dear life while I'm in there!

We are starting a support group here, November 9th, and I am interested in seeing what some of the MPT Advanced PD Patients have to offer for what so many of us will face "later on". What I'm learning is that "later on" might be next month...

posted September 29, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

I'm sorry that question doesn't apply to me, as it is my husband who is afflicted . But I make little suggestions as to how he can change things to make it easier. He tends to over extend when reaching for things and I just remind him to take another step first. Or he will back up to sit when he's too far from his seat so I tell him to touch the back of the chair with his calves before he sits. It's the little things.

posted September 29, 2016

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