To the Amazon

Parky has been very good, he has let me do and see some wonderful things. That is until this morning after taking my first anti malaria tablet last night. I was very wobbly and it didn't help that we had a buffet lunch followed by a flight back to Lima.
Half of our group fly home tomorrow and the other half including yours truly goes onto the Amazon. We can only take a rucksack with us so I have been trying to sort through what's left of my clean cloths to see what I need.
We have heard that the water levels are very high so that means wellies when we get their. I have bought a very jazzy pair of striped socks from a market stall so there is more of a chance that I will find wellies that fit.
I had better get to bed so that I am rested and ready for my eight o clock start in the morning. It will be worth it I'm sure.
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Parky in Peru?

Not long now until I go to Peru, I am expecting it to be on a par with my last year’s trip to China, in the words of my Granddaughter it was awesome.

I booked it a long time ago and it seemed as if it would never get here, now the days are galloping bye. I still have no idea on the cloths front but boy have I got a chemist shop with me, that’s without Parky’s meds.

I tend to be the one in a crowd that gets bitten, then my body goes into action and I end up with a not very nice reaction. SO I am fully prepared, I have sprays, armbands, something to zap a bite and anti-histamine tablets.

I was going to start on garlic pills, but think I may be better off without; no one will want to sit with me on the bus. Mind you I used to give my dog them so as to keep away flees, just can’t be bothered to take another pill. I forgot I have the anti-malaria tablets, all this anti bite stuff as I end up on the Amazon.

That’s the river not the Amazon where I shop very occasionally, well perhaps a little bit more than occasionally I think half the things I am taking have come from there.

Just over a week to go, not that I am counting, so I am only slightly concerned that My Mate might make it difficult for me. I am always a bit aware that I might not be able to keep up with the rest of the group; I would hate it if because of me others had difficulty in doing what they have paid for.

 The one thing I am sure off is that I will do my utmost to keep Parky from interfering, pity I can’t say my bag is already too full he had better stay at home. The thing is that other than pills he travels light, but you can never forget he is there as a constant companion.

Before With and After Jim

Life has to move on so I have made my mind up its time to sell up and get myself something smaller.

It will be a terrible wrench; this is where my memories are of Jim. With this in mind I have spent a good part of the day looking at photos and I realize that my life can be put in sections. Before Jim, with Jim, after Jim.

I know when I walk out the door for the last time it will be saying fair well to a chunk of my life, a chunk that has not always been what I had hoped for.

There was Jim's cancer which he fought to the end, I have the last photo taken off him and I can honestly say that at the time I didn’t see him as he looks in that photo. I knew he was very ill but I think it was his personality that shone through and made you less aware.

I should part with it but somehow I can’t perhaps it is there to remind me he had no choice and had to go.

I have cleared the floor of its piles of photos and perhaps it’s a good job that most of my new ones stay on the computer to roll round as a screen saver.

I must organize them so that in the future when I have gone completely GAGA everyone will know who’s who, but then again will anyone care.

What Would a Cure for Parkinson’s Mean to You?

Last night I logged on to Parkinson’s UK site and ended up reading all the answers to the Question they have set. WHAT WOULD A CURE FOR PARKINSON’S MEAN TO YOU?

There have been a wide number of replies from a lot of people. Friends and relations of Parkinson people whose lives have been turned upside by taking on the role of carer. Then there are the celebrities who help to raise awareness of our lives. I am also pleased to see the input from the professionals those people who work in research and are striving to get a cure. Some of them would be out of a job if a cure is found.

Last but by no means least, there comes us Parky people. I realized that we are all on the same wave length, all we want is our lives back to be able to control our bodies our brain and our future.

We feel enormous amounts of guilt because we have to ask for help, this can vary so much from person to person.

Those of us fighting the side effects of our medication would be dancing in the street, well there is one here that would.

Parky meat Druggy

I have finally admitted to myself that self-help is a very good idea. BUT and it’s a very large BUTTTT I need help.

With this in mind I have rung our new Parkinson’s nurse who is coming to see me on Friday; I think I had a huge sense of relief when he said he would come.

I have felt totally abandoned as all the medical people that I have been with have changed, no one’s fault. As one by one they have either retired or changed where they worked, my Neurologist has quite a few patients and my appointments are about nine months apart. Gosh I could have a child in that time but mind you there would have to be a star in the east.

I truly do not know where to turn as I have no faith in how my medication has been monitored, does anyone understand what it does to you.

Well I am hoping that Friday will be a turning point, the Parkinson’s nurse that I have fought so hard for might be my saviour.

I know I have told everyone that I go to Peru at the end of the month; I want to go away without the side effects. My Mate Parky will defiantly be with me, I can cope with him most of the time but not if he brings his pal My Mate Druggy.

Looks like I have a new Mate, well only new on paper, as he has been around nearly as long as Parky.

What would a cure mean to you? - Parkinson's UK

What would a cure mean to you? - Parkinson's UK
I have just found the story I wrote for Parkinson's UK so thought I would share it

No Swearing

Now I have had time to reflect on my going back to Requip I find myself slightly torn. I know I am doing more and the stiffness I was getting has thankfully been a thing of the past.

I am most of the time more alert; I am also finding that I can manage with one less Stalevo which I had been taking four times a day. It is only on long days like when I want to party that I take the fourth.

So why the hesitation? 

I have to admit that on a couple of nights I haven’t gone to bed at all, I know its blooming crazy I even tell myself to go to bed but I have a habit of ignoring myself.

Sorry T but I have also done a bit of gambling, I also know that by admitting this in my blog that I will have the full force of daughter number one down on me.

Why can’t I be more sensible?

Do I have to make the choice between being active and broke or having a bob or two and not being able to get around?

If anyone is doing trials and wants a volunteer put me down for it, I want to get to grips with what’s happening to me is that too much to ask?

I have said all along that things could be worse I could be diabetic and not be able to have my chocolate fix. I have nearly finished the huge bar that my youngest brought back from New York for me, thank you K.

I think it is time I found other things to do with my life instead of sitting here all the time, force myself to turn my computer off, can I reach for the off button. Better finish this first, then perhaps HOUSEWORK.

You see I have now resorted to swearing, I will be talking about ironing next or even heaven forbid cleaning windows. Just off to wash my mouth out with soapy water.