Yeah, ol' PD sure has an impact on your life. I was a double diamond
skier back in 1986. Then I gradually found I couldn't make my turns and
started falling. In 1988 I found out why! I continued to ski until two years
ago, but on much less difficult trails. I also was a certified scuba diver,
but I gave that up in 1988. Underwater is no place to go "off." However, we
must make adjustments. I found new interests that are not as physically
demanding (computers for one).
You are right to encourage your wife to be active, and she is to be
commended for rising to your challenges. I envy her ability to still get on
skis. Stick with her. She needs your support and encouragement. Some of the
most enjoyable days of my life were on the slopes. I am looking forward to
the day the cure is found and she and I are back on our skis without falling
down.
Regards,
Bruce A. Hollenbeck
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-----Original Message-----
From: P Jones <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sunday, February 01, 1998 11:06 PM
Subject: Thankful.
>I don't really know why I am posting this. It's just that I want to talk
>about it, and someone out there may understand.
>Today my wife, Doreen, 66/3, and I, 77, skied. We have skied for a lot of
>years, first down hill and then, maybe 16-17 years ago, we switched to
>cross-country. We have done everything: raced, officiated at races, coached
>and taught skiing. We love the sport and it has filled our winters and kept
>us healthy, except in one respect; it didn't stop the onset of pd.
>It was four winters ago that we noticed the first symptoms. Doreen's left
>pole was dragging and there didn't seem to be much she could do about it.
>We tried shorter, longer, different weight poles. Nothing helped. Then the
>following September she was diagnosed with "old Debil" pd. The diagnosis
>solved the poling riddle.
>We have continued to ski, but have given up racing. We still coach and
>officiate, but not as much. Doreen's poling has deteriorated until, now she
>can only pole on one side--strange thing though, when she double poles,
>both sides work, it's just when she is diagonal striding that the left
>side, the one with the tremor, lets her down.
>Last week she fell a couple of times, on corners where in bygone days she
>had whizzed around. She couldn't get up. Just not enough strength in her
>arms. Her world started to come apart there and then.
>It took a lot of cajoling on my part to get her to ski again, but I
>succeeded. We went. At first she was nervous, ready to quit. "why bother.
>it's over." "Not so," I said. Anyway we took the easy routes and gradually
>her confidence returned. We have skied maybe eight times since and I have
>bullied her into trying more demanding routes. She has handled them just
>fine. We both know, though, that if she falls, she will have to stay down
>until help arrives.
>We have always skied together, but now I ski closer to her, which is just
>fine. Which brings me back to today. We had a wonderful day. We skied 12
>kilometres over a demanding route in brilliant sunshine and ideal
>temperatures. Doreen fell three times on long downhill runs--she no longer
>has the strength in her left leg to snowplow and slow herself down. However
>I was beside her and with a little help got her vertical again. We managed
>to make a game of it--sort of. We were able to laugh about it, and she
>continued on. When she arrived home, she was tired, but happy. She now
>knows there is a different set of rules, but she doesn't have to give up
>skiing. Not yet anyway.
>We now ski side by side and we talk and look at the scenery, the tracks and
>the wonderful shapes of the snow-laden trees. And every so often we stop
>and hug each other.
>Thanks for listening folks.
>
