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On December 8, 1999, at the age of thirty-two, my
life changed forever with the simple, involuntary movement of my right hand. At the time, I thought the tremor
was due to something as mundane as fear or exhaustion or something, anything temporary or easily solved. It
wasn't. Not only wasn't it mundane or temporary, there wasn't even a cure. Two years later, on October
1, 2001, I received my life sentence in three little words: "YOU HAVE PARKINSON'S".
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Living with Parkinson's is a unique story for each person
who receives that diagnosis. These pages happen to be filled with my stories...my reflections since
receiving my diagnosis. Most of the stories come from posts I've written in response to questions posted on the iVillage
Health Parkinson's Message Board. Having a place to go where others understand, even if it's just on the internet,
has been a huge support system for me as I've begun to accept those three little words. I'm so grateful to my friends
on our Parkinson's Board and very proud to be their Community Leader.
The other day one of our members on our board, Nick, posted
this great question about children and Parkinson's and the entire question really got me in to a reflective mood. Well,
not the question as much as my search for an answer. I realized how much more I needed to accept my diagnosis...I think that
will be an ongoing process. I also realized how it's not just my children, but my family and friends who may not understand
it, either. How can I teach them to understand if I don't fully understand myself....and so began my website. There's not much here, as I'm just beginning this journey, but I hope these
stories I've captured so far help others to understand a little more about "Living With Parkinson's".
Along with my reflections on Parkinson's, I've also included a few of my personal photos, including
the picture on this page that I took of myself. In addition to the photos, I'm also including a few more stories about "LIVING
WITH A TODDLER", just like Parkinson's, it's not an easy thing to do. Enjoy!
Click Here To Visit The iVillage Parkinson's Board
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