What's In A Name?

In a week, I will officially have a named disease. I'm self-diagnosed (with a little help from my Internet friends--WebMD and MayoClinic.com) with Parkinson's disease. For no good reason, it's put me in a tailspin. You can probably guess, based on the name of the disease, that I am "of a certain age." More than 80% of those diagnosed with PD are age 60 or older--I am in my 60th year. I have three of the four major symptoms, and am showing signs of several of the less-common symptoms.

All this I learned from WebMD and MayoClinic.com. The symptoms are painless--if little awkward--tremors of the hand and leg, just on one side. Tremors occur at rest and disappear with movement. Walking seems to take a little more conscious thought than it used to, and balance seems a tad less reliable. I'm displaying, according to my ever-loving spouse, a tendency to speak more softly and to enunciate less clearly. My handwriting is changing, becoming less legible and somewhat smaller. I stoop over, it seems to me, like an old man. The spouse referred to above assures me I have always walked like that, so....

This is all observed against a backdrop of reading symptoms available on the subject--how much of this is the power of suggestion?

On the positive side, several things have appeared in my life just in time to support me in dealing with the litany of complaints I just mentioned. First, I know a fitness trainer who specializes in combating the decaying physical capabilities that are often mistaken for the normal process of aging--things like posture, flexibility, balance and mobility. Second, I belong to what is probably among the top 2 or 3 percent of Toastmasters clubs in the country. So I have ample opportunity to practice making myself heard.

I'm spending time thinking through taking charge of my disease, lining up who will be ion my "team," identifying my options, evaluating them to see what's best for me and putting plans into action. All this fits with an interest I've cultivated over the past several years, building a strong second half of life.

So what's in a name? Oh, I've had health risk factors before, (overweight, elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol) but not one that had a last name like this one--disease. I'm blogging here to get my log book started--it's part of my disease management plan and I'm taking charge.

(Written March 2nd, transferred to blog 3/12/2010)