A River In Egypt

I started this little blog when I was first diagnosed, figuring I would write in it from time to time, chronicling the things I learned, the positives and the negatives, and so on. I think I expected I'd need an outlet. Funny thing is, I hardly ever returned. It's been a year and a half and I have not, until this last couple of weeks, given it another thought. Denial has been working pretty effectively. I took up yoga (after a fashion, mind you). As my yoga teacher puts it, never compare your pose with others'. You focus on your own effort and enjoy your own progress. Works for me, I could not possibly bend as much as the younger, thinner, shorter people in my classes have, but I feel stronger and have modestly better posture and balance. No deterioration in those two areas.

I started a special diet 2 months ago to lose weight and reduce the sudden craving for sweets that had helped me add another 10 lbs. I did not need. Good news is I have dropped more than 20 lbs. and I don't eat candy by the bagfuls. Bad news is I am probably feeling the effect of impulse-control disorders (ICD's) associated with dopamine agonists, which most of us PD people take. ICD's that affect as many as 20%of dopamine agonist users fall into 4 groups--compulsive eating, sexual urges, gambling and shopping. Good news is I am not gambling or shoppping to excess as yet. ;>)

I ordered an ergonomic keyboard today. Typing has become a struggle, especially when I try turning my wrists laterally to hold them parallel above the keys. My number of mishits was rising dramatically (is "mishits" a word, it looks a little vulgar there on the screen? It's meant to be a contraction of "missed" and "hits"... oh, well). It became hard to ignore as I spend more time at the keyboard. I am thinking I will need to look up my nephew's favorite voice transcriber--the name escapes me--he is a doctoral candidate at U of M and teaches as a graduate assistant. He doesn't type anything, to hear him tell it, he speaks it all into his computer and it is magically transcribed (I looked it up--it's Dragon Naturally Speaking).

The keyboard was my second concession to my difficulties with digits this week. Earlier in the week, I sought permission from opposing counsel and an arbitrator to digitally record a hearing because my tremors happen to concentrate in my left hand (I write left-handed). Using the voice recorder, I don't have to try keeping up with note-taking.

So, denial is officially off the table for me. I am just beginning to accept a few limitations. so, I'm back. i will likely have a word or two to say here again.