 |
 |
Michelle, I know that this is a terrifying time right now. My dad has had PD for 16 years, and me and my siblings were age 4,13, and 14 when he was dx'd. We were all terrified, but we have made it. He put us all through college and the youngest - my brother has one year to go. Once you get past the shock of it, just take it one day at a time and you will see that it is not the end of the world. My dad leads a very happy life and still works in an office, M-F, 9-5. He also just finished a masters degree this last May. This is a wonderful resource that you have found in this group. I am sure that some of the others may have more pearls of wisdom than I have. Feel free to come to share your feelings and ask your questions. Jennifer, Dad with PD 55/39 -----Original Message----- From: Michelle Lane [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, July 14, 2000 10:59 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Guitar, etc. Hello, My name is Michelle. I am 32 with 3 children ages 9, 6 & 3 and have been recently diagnosed with PD. I am frustrated and scared and would love here a few words of encouragement from people going with the same situation. Maybe this will help my days go by without thinking I am having every symptom there is only after a month of being diagnosed. Look forward to hearing from fellow young pd patients. -----Original Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of David Willard Sent: Friday, July 14, 2000 9:43 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Guitar, etc. Rick, Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your message. I love playing the guitar. I still have my yamaha six string acustic. I put a martin thin line pickup in it, it sounds sweet. I shake so bad I cant strum or pick. I play right handed. Cording is easy. Only my right side is affected by pd and, I think, essential tremor. I type left handed and do everything I can left handed. This causes my right arm to weaken. I'm becoming aware of the need to exercise the right side to maintain muscle tone. I have no passive movement on my right side. I played the guitar every sunday at a nursing home. My mother-in-law teaches the sunday school lesson there. I did this for three years. I had to stop about a year ago.I still find avenues to exercise my desires for music. I love to sing, although not very good at it, I still try. I wrote gospel music and I'm currently working on an amateur recording. I still use gospel tracks to sing at the nursing home. Elderly folks have a special place in my heart.My grandparents were my parents from age five through eighteen. My mom died with a brain tumer at 29. I was afraid thats what I had but the mri brain scan showed no abnormality. Were taking it one day at a time. I still look at that guitar in the case with the expectations of playing again someday. For now I'm trying to teach my sixteen year old daughter to play it. This helps to scratch the itch a little. Thanks for your reply. Bfn. Your friend, Dave from Mississippi