About me

PROFILE:
I have been writing poetry and stories since I was a child, and a love of reading was instilled in me from an early age. I am passionate about writing, and hope you enjoy the books I have written. Whilst most of you sleep soundly in your beds, like many Parkinson’s patients, insomnia dictates, so during those hours that sleep eludes me, the house is tranquil and quiet, an atmosphere perfect to immerse myself in writing. My life has been a series of strange events, which have without doubt contributed to my creativity. To publish anything is to bear one’s soul to the world. It is to stand naked and let everyone see who you really are. I have poured my heart and soul out on paper and I hope to share this journey, immersing you in a story, capturing your attention and firing the imagination. Through my writing and public speaking I hope to bring greater awareness to the general public about living with chronic disease.

Friday, December 7, 2012

50 shades of Parkinson's


If one could possibly colour code all the symptoms and side effects of Parkinson's, I think there  would probably be more than fifty shades! The symptoms are so many; vary to such a degree, each patient different, the variables are too diverse. Most diseases have a set of common symptoms that a patient would normally experience, but not in the case of Parkinson's. Having met and spoken with many fellow sufferers, each one has a different story to tell, no two are alike, and this is probably what makes getting the right balance of medications so difficult. What works for one person, doesn't necessarily work for another. I got a call the other day from a salesperson, which sounded like a pyramid scheme of selling a 'wonder pill'. At the beginning of the conversation he thought he'd found a gullible new sales person who would travel the country selling and endorsing their pills, which of course cure everything from skin disorders to serious diseases, naturally including Parkinson's - hence the 'grey area' in this conversation began! Highly suspicious of any pill that miraculously cures everything under the sun; I'm sure the Health Care System or any doctor in his right mind wouldn't take a second look at this pill. Once I had made the salesman understand that I am disabled and suffer two major diseases, and not able to, let alone interested in becoming part of his sales force, he continued his barrage of statistics and information about his wonder product, hoping to at least make a sale. I stuck firmly to my ground, and after his unsuccessful attempt, he asked if his boss could talk to me! Ah so now I had the attention of the higher powers of this pyramid. We ended up having a conference call, and after giving this highly persuasive professional salesman a mini lecture about Gaucher and Parkinson's disease, he realised that despite his determination (who should get 10 out of 10 for effort), he was not going to make a sale. I hope both these men now understand and learnt something about Gaucher and Parkinson's. To sell these pills to unsuspecting customers who may be very ill indeed, not to mention the expense, which a chronically ill person, who is more than likely not working, may have a very limited income; is in fact unethical and immoral. The many shades of Parkinson's is very complex, so don't let any salesman, however persuasive, charm you into purchasing something your doctor would not recommend. 

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