Rambling Thoughts

On taking a walk with Parkinson's Disease this Spring day

It's spring time here in Northeast Ohio. The maple trees are bursting with energy that's coming up from their roots. Soon seed packets from these trees will be falling into the neighboring yards up and down the street. Perhaps I could walk there but my PD stiffness and my knee hold me back. Is this season my last chance---ever?

The maple trees concentrate on dropping those seeds just as soon as spring arrives because they are programed to get the next generation going before they do anything else. My new growth has been returning to a disciplined exercise regimen after more years than I care to acknowledge. It's been eight years since I used to bicycle for miles through the local parks but that was somehow different because my body cooperated, the scenery was beautiful, and I could create my own uphill and downhill challenges as I rode with the wind and sun. Maybe when it's warmer I'll take a look at the old bike, pump up the tires and see what where we can go together.

Now I sit sometimes at the physical therapy center wondering if my fellow senior patients are ever going to stop their exercise routine, if they will learn to do the exercises correctly and will they start getting better. Possibly or possibly not, but many of them can walk better than I can.

I've had Parkinson's for 6 years now. My left knee is affected by PD stiffness and arthritis. It's very painful. That's why I've been walking with a cane to support my left knee for a few years. Lately I've been working out on Nautilus machines 5 days a week and to help my knee, I've started taking glucosamine and chondroitin again. I've been feeling better, I can touch type a little bit again and I just walked, not as far as I can see but half as far, which is great for me! The scary part is that on the two days of the week that I can't go to the exercise center, I miss it and wish I could. How has something I resisted become a love?