Fighting Zombies

My husband is a huge Science Fiction enthusiast. So, it is no surprise he equates his Parkinson's challenges to fighting off Zombies.

Each morning he awakes to find multiple Zombies at his door. He must slay each one before proceeding. The first Zombie is getting himself out of bed. Once he has accomplished that, the next one is brushing his teeth, then, walking to the kitchen, and so on. Each time he accomplishes a task or challenge, he has slayed a Zombie and can move on. At the end of the day, if the Zombies haven't gained complete access, it's a victory. For the last 16 years he's been able to fight off the Zombies, and although they have gained some ground, they haven't defeated him yet!

Seeing his daily struggles as Zombies allows Jamey to take one challenge at a time and conquer each without being overwhelmed by the entire Zombie horde at once. I applaud him for finding an inventive way to help him get through each day. Depression is often a symptom of Parkinson's, but Jamey's coping method helps him deal, just a little bit, with the impending Zombie take-over.

After Robin Williams' suicide, Jamey's mom wrote him a short note thanking him for continuing to take on the Zombies each day. That little email did wonders for his morale. The fact that his mother realized the enormity of the Zombie invasion, and praised him for his effort, gave him a boost of encouragement. I noticed a difference in him throughout the day after that little note.

I encourage each of you, especially caregivers, not to ignore the importance of a note or word of support to your loved one. It really does make a difference and can keep depression at bay, if only for a day or two. Your loved one needs you to be their cheerleader and advocate!  Cheerleading is not my strong suit. I tend to put on my caregiving hat and get to my tasks without a lot of pomp. But, after seeing Jamey's reaction to that email, I realized a little cheerleading is important.  Perhaps an encouraging word on a given day is the only thing that will slay a Zombie or two for your loved one and help move them on to the next thing.

Go. Encourage. Fight the Zombies!

Note: Just got the scoop on a new treatment strategy for Parkinson's sufferers. Gel therapy should be available in the next year or so. Check out this link: http://origin.wkyc.com/news/article/232193/3/Parkinsons-pump-offers-steady-relief