Vulnerability

No longer steady and sporting the Parkinson’s shuffle as I walk, I suddenly am very conscious of how vulnerable I must appear. I hadn’t given it a lot of thought till recently. Less desirable parts of town that once I wouldn’t have thought twice about briskly walking with an air of confidence, now pose a threat. I’m beginning to understand why some living with Parkinson’s are reluctant to go out. Looking like an easy target, makes me feel distinctly uncomfortable.

I remember some years ago, my elderly mother had her purse snatched when a young pick pocket focused his attention on her. As he took hold of my mother’s purse he gave her a shove which sent her unsteady small frame to the ground. Thankfully she didn’t break anything, but was a little shaken and sported some nasty colourful bruises for a while. However a friend of hers who had her bag snatched, wasn’t so lucky, and when thrown to the ground, unfortunately broke her hip. Regrettably the elderly, infirm and disabled are sadly prone to being taken advantage of by unscrupulous persons who have no conscience.

With this in mind, I’m acutely aware of how easy it would be to fall or be pushed over in a crowded unsafe environment. Markets, busy streets with throngs of pedestrians,  or large gatherings; whether an easy target for a thief, or simply a casualty of overly  exuberant youngsters not paying attention – the outcome could be awful. So as much as I hate it, common sense tells me to steer clear of these possible dangers from now on. 

Sharing one's story with others when living with a disease brings greater understanding and general public awareness. Take a look at my article in The Huffington Post for maybe you too have a story to share.