Hello Friends!
It was nearly 15 years ago, when I heard the fateful words: "you have Parkinson's Disease!" I was just completing another season coaching football, and was fully engaged teaching at Cabrini, and I wasn't sure how this diagnosis would impact me. My awareness of PD was limited at the time (I knew famous people like St. John Paul II, Michael J. Fox and Muhammed Ali also had it), but I knew nothing else about the disease. Not being one who sits back and let's things just happen, I right away searched for more information about PD, and stumbled on the Michigan Parkinson Foundation (MPF). I spoke with one of the staff at MPF, and she suggested I call the moderator of the Young Onset Support Group, and he encouraged me to attend their meeting. I was very reluctant at first to attend their meeting, as I didn't want to "see my future". Rose encouraged me to attend, and said she would join me, and so we went to the next meeting, and we met quite a mix of people of varying ages and stages of the disease. I was shocked at first, but we met some wonderful "hero's" at the meeting, and we learned so much about PD in the 90 minutes there, and from that point on we were hooked - the support group became an invaluable resource for both Rose and I for intellectual and emotional support.
As I look back over the past 15 years or so, I recognize that nearly every aspect of my journey with PD has been directly or indirectly been touched by MPF. The education programs sponsored by MPF, the exercise programs, the support groups, the free legal advise for securing Social Security disability funds, have all made life a little easier for us. Even my brain surgery was made possible through interaction with MPF.
Now, I have to be brutally honest here: having PD sucks. But, in my 15 year journey with PD I have come to realize two things:
- God, in his infinite wisdom, allows good to be derived from suffering. I recognize that we have made some incredible friends that we wouldn't have met if it wasn't for PD. Also, the support we have received from friends and family along this journey has been incredibly touching and helpful.
- I have learned through this journey, that everyone is dealing with some challenge or suffering in their lives, As a result, I think I have become more patient with people, as we all are trying to get by the best we can.
I do want to acknowledge my wonderful wife Rose, who life has been greatly impacted by my PD. She has been incredibly supportive of me througout this journey. She has been a rock, and I have come to realize even more than I did before, what a blessing she has been in my life!
Thank you sincerly for your support, and please share this with your social media friends!
Steve