Pro-Choice Parkinson's (All about choosing my own destiny - not letting my destiny be chosen for me by some nasty disease)!

            In my life with Parkinson’s, I often think about what choices I do and don’t have. People have our best interest at heart, and we don’t always want to think about what our best interests are (especially when they don't feel good). For instance, I’d rather eat food I like than eat healthy things or pay more for healthy things. I’d rather not tell people I love that I’m having issues with medicines that are complicated and scary, when I know it will worry them since it’s worrying me. However, doing things like this is part of my new normal, so I need to “suck it up and do what I need to do.”

            Nevertheless, if I did have choices, this is what I would choose to do.

1.      I’d spend more time with my wife, just cuddled up, even if it’s only to do things like catch up on This is Us or The Goldbergs. Heck, I'd choose to do more things like watching old school air shows and pumpkin carving.

2.      I’d choose to use my magical Jedi powers to get people to ask how my Parkinson’s is. While I don’t want to scare you or to be Parkinson’s 24/7, it would be nice to be asked how I am as this is part of my everyday person (you don't have to be afraid of me crying "ableism" if you do or at all / most people mean well, even if they don't know how to say it - those who mean it just suck). Generally, I’ll summarize it and won’t bombard you with a list of medicines, effects, and bathroom times / notations, unless I’m writing about it as a blog post for people who want to know a lot more about Parkinson’s. Even here, I'm working to keep it shorter.

3.      I’d shut these damn tremors off without medicine, pharmaceutical or holistic.

4.      I’d spend more time with family. At the very least, I would have already made time to show them my Iceland pictures and have seen their pictures of my nephew Dylan at Reptile Land.

5.      I’d choose to be on vacation somewhere warm and relatively tropical or archaeological. Right now, the Great Petroglyph Tour or Bora Bora would suffice.

6.      I’d have a comfortable temperature 24/7 where my dystonia foot’s toes and my knuckles wouldn’t feel arthritic. My toes feel 90° off and my knuckles are keeping me from speed typing the end of my supernatural / superhero book so I can release it ASAP and get on with my Parkinson’s book so I can get back to working on my next supernatural book follow up. I've got a lot of things to write before Parkinson's takes my digits.

7.      I’d choose to enact a law that keeps the Yankees from getting back in the World Series through trades or free agency. Right now, I’m OK whether the Dodgers or Astros win… as long as Verlander and Kershaw both win.

8.      I’d pay someone to invent 0 calorie chocolate iced donuts stuffed with brownie batter AND 0 calorie V+S cheese steaks. They can do pizza, hot dogs, chicken, burgers, and fries, too. 

9.      I’d find more time to watch my nephew dance to Sic Him on a Chicken by Zac Brown and Thunderstruck by AC / DC when he’s not playing with his snakes.

10.  I’d be as happy as my nephew playing with his toy snakes.

11.  I’d go to the Faroe Islands to see the Northern lights, but that would all be a part of a cruise through the Orkneys, Shetlands, and back to Iceland.

12.  I’d choose to find more stories of people who inspire me. I know there's a lot more out there.

13.  I’d choose to take less naps and more swims and hikes.

14.  I’d choose to find writing options and lecture presentation opportunities like this one.

15.  I’d choose to be less negative, a lot less negative.

16.  I’d also use my Jedi powers to freeze my brain when it goes through Parkinson’s anxiety moments. See #15.

17.  I’d find time for more humor in my life. Kevin Hart and Jeff Dunham live in person can’t come soon enough, but Dave Chappelle on Netflix is pretty dang good, too.

18.  I’d choose to find more supernatural inspiration with shows like Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, and the first season of Heroes.

19.  I’d used my Jedi mind powers to stop that arthritic feeling in my left knee. There’s a lot of good vistas and outdoor staircases to hike and see, like this one at McAfee Knob in Virginia, which I really need to see.

20.  I’d choose to be more forgiving and loving. I'm working on it. I swear.

Thanks for reading! Check back soon for more and be sure to read through my archives!