First published in Parkinsonsdisease.net. By Sharon Krischer
I hate Parkinson’s!
There, I have said it. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. No, this isn’t a pity party. It is reality.
I try to write positively about Parkinson’s disease (PD), but sometimes the negatives must be told. What did I do to deserve living with this chronic disease?
Dealing with the symptoms
This morning was like playing “whack a mole.” My foot started shaking. Got it to stop … and my hand started to shake. Back and forth. Foot and hand. Makes it tough to get things done until the morning meds kick in.
Then there is sleep, or lack thereof. A good night is one where I don’t go downstairs to hang out on the sofa reading until it is time to get up. Five hours of sleep is good. Six hours – bring out the hallelujah choir!
Read the rest of the article here
Showing Gratitude
With Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away in the United States, it is time to show gratitude for our care-partners and caregivers. One thing you can do is share this with your care partner and encourage him or her to #BeASelfCareGiver during November, which is National Care Givers Month. It is important that caregivers take care of themselves in order to be able to help you. Check out the Parkinson’s Foundation has many resources available for Care Givers such as their Top 10 Essential Caregiver Resources.
Qi Gong for Parkinson’s
Qigong meets you where you are — Right now, for this day and this moment, to change what is possible ahead.
Bianca Mollé
Two weeks ago, Bianca Molle spoke to my Sunday Mornings with Twitchy Woman group about the benefits of Qi Gong for PD. I had never tried Qi Gong before, so I was curious to learn about it.
What is Qi Gong? According to The National Qi Gong Association, Qigong can be described as a mind-body-spirit practice that improves one’s mental and physical health by integrating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intent. There are likely thousands of qigong styles, schools, traditions, forms, and lineages, each with practical applications and different theories about Qi (“subtle breath” or “vital energy”) and Gong (“skill cultivated through steady practice”)
Bianca led the group through some Qi Gong exercises and I discovered that this is something that I want to explore further. There are many videos available online, including some specifically for sleep. Bianca also gave us many resources* for learning Qi Gong.
Bianca has written several books about her experience with Qi Gong, Make Time to Heal and Reboot & Rejoice: How I Healed from Parkinson’s Disease Using the Body/Mind Practice of Qigong: Regimen, Background, and Personal Reflections.
For more information, go to her website Mettamorphix.
You can watch the recording of our meeting here.
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