Dear Sandy;
I am also lifted by your experience because it is so
positive. I also try to set an agenda for the day, but seldom manage to
accomplish everything,....and I do not have PD. I try to set priorities,
but they change too depending upon the incoming mail or phone
calls.
I assume you have no caregiver to help you, and that makes it
much more difficult to manage. I always went to the doctor with Barbara with a
schedule of her food and drug intake for at least three days. I went along
to make sure that all medical orders and prescriptions would not be lost in
the shuffle. We could expect a change of symtoms with a change in mood
like an increase of dyskinesia with an increase in stress.
The interference of proteins was also a problem for
Barbara, and I tried to enforce a regimen so that she could eat half an hour
after taking Sinemet, but wait at east one hour after eating to take
Sinemet. We also arranged to eat most of the reduced protein intake to
evening ( she craved ice cream). We have a most competent and
beautiful expert on this subject for this list; Kathrynne Holden has even
written a pamphlet available through NPF and a book on food and
PD.
Except for my 'casual' meetings with this list and our support
group, PD will be fading into my bank of memories, and I do have a big one
too. I hope this will help you a little bit.
hugs,
-- Michel Margosis
'Carpe
Diem'
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2000 5:30
PM
Subject: A LESSON!
A Lesson Well Learned from a Not
so Productive Day!!
Upon rising this morning I had
such positive thoughts. I am a "to-do" list person. Sometimes it
keeps me grounded but sometimes my list can be an aggravation. My list
looked like this this morning:
1. Mail Cards and
Letters.
2. Check on The Bills in Congress.
3. Vacuum my
apartment.
4. Clean the bathroom.
5. Clean mirrors and glass
table tops.
6. Finish Christmas list.
As time in my life progresses
with having pd I am noticing slight changes from week to week. What I am
finding most bothersome is my ingestion of protein. I am finding that if
I have had too much protein even the day before my mobility the next day will
be questionable. So far today I have accomplished 1 and 2 on my list. I
am okay with just getting #1 and #2 done. What I am having trouble with
is my protein sensitivity. It has become so acute lately. A clear
sign of progression. I found myself dwelling on this. Then something
phenomenal happened.
My next door neighbor(Sharon)
went out of town this morning. She had left my Christmas card with her
neighbor(Mrs. Little) because I could not make it to the door this morning.
Finally, after my meds turned on, I went to Mrs. Little's to pick up my
Christmas card. It was upon visiting with Mrs. Little that God took me
on a journey. Mrs. Little gave to me a picture of my mother when
she was 5 years old. Much to my surprise was that my brother's little
girl (Whitney) who is now 5 years old is the spitten image of my Mama at that
same age. It took just one old picture to lift the heaviness of my heart. I
thanked Mrs. Little and for the rest of my day I have been content thinking of
past memories.
I remember when I was just a
little girl my grandfather and I would put a salt and pepper shaker in our
britches pockets and we would meander down to the country garden where we
would pluck off the juiciest tomatoes this side of Texas. Grandpa and I would
pick out a big shady tree to sit under, take out our salt and pepper shakers,
plop down, knock the dirt off of those "choice-picked", salt and pepper them
"just so" and commence to eating them. Now talk about a little piece of
heaven....the tomatoe and the making of the memory was my little piece of
heaven today. That memory led to the memory of me and my grandmother
make homemade southern biscuits. It was almost as if I could actually
smell the bread and hearing me and grandma giggling like two little
girls.
The making of these memories
taught me to appreciate the little things. I could choose to get down
about what the pd has robbed me of today. What a waste of time that
would be! How can I be sad? With all the blessings and beauty that
I have already been given in my life I can only choose to be thankful today
for this day.
Now for the rest of my day I will
be remembering some new memories that I made while traveling and see what
other lessons I can learn today. Much love and hope...Sandy