Abilities

[Monica Bolin <monbol@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello to all, I am new to the list but I have recieved some interesting and
heartfelt messages from some of you in the group. I wanted to give you a
list of my baseline abilities right now.

I know that I have a severe case possibly Parkinson's Plus, but I am not
positive. Without medication I had some severe problems with balance,
central nervous system problems, etc. I started on Requip and am at the 2 mg
dose so far. It has stopped my falling, and some of my tremors and
dizziness, speech problems, CNS problems. I may need to go up on it at my
next visit. I also found out what it is like to sleep again.

Ten years ago I was a Martha Stewart type, entertaining, parties and the
like. I did all the sewing, haircutting and such for my entire family before
I started working full time. I also took up several hobbies such as
beadworking, with tiny seed beads, making leather goods and such, and I even
made tents out of canvas.

When I went back to school I set aside some of this and became a nurse. I
had less time but I did things like shingle my roof on my days off. (My
husband is disabled.) I took in two foster children and had time to do my
family's genealogy.

Now I find that it is a real effort to get to work, and stay all day.
Thankfully I have graduated to a desk job, but there is no way I can "be a
nurse" anymore. When I am stressed or tired, the shaking comes back full
force, as though I have no medication at all. Patients tend to draw away
from a shaking hand.

I think the saddest loss for me is the art/craft work I had planned to do
when I retired. I bought sets of paints I probably will never use, and tons
of beads and embroidery thread I may never use, due to this new "thing" I
have. I fear that when I can no longer work, which won't be much longer, I
think, I will also be unable to do the things that give me joy.

So this list gives me an outlet to see what others are feeling and doing and
I am also reading and getting encouragement from those of you who can still
do things you enjoy. I am thinking that this "thing" must attack the most
intricate and talented brains of all- yours and mine!!

Sincerely, Monica

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