People often ask me that question and I have thought about it a lot over the years. Probably the easiest to duplicate is the lack of dexterity in my fingers and hand. Want to give it a try? See what it feels like?
Okay, go dig out your winter gloves. Got them? Good. Now, we will set up some tests for you. Grab a deck of cards or a stack of dollar bills. Are you wearing a shirt with buttons? If not, grab one out of the closet. Ready?
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| YumaBev trying to button |
There is no pain in my hand or fingers like you get with arthritis. There is no tingling, numbness, loss of strength or feeling. The fingers just won't cooperate with my brain. If I need to open a jar of pickles, the right hand is the one I use, when I can get it to grasp the lid. It makes cutting steak difficult, trying to coordinate both pushing down and moving back and forth.
So, we Parkies adapt. My Wonderful Husband cuts my steak when my fingers won't. I donated all my shirts with buttons to the Salvation Army or now wear them like this. See, I just tie the tails in a knot and skip the buttons. It works for me, and looks fashionable, too. Plus, it was fun shopping for the right color tank tops to wear under them.
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| YumaBev fashion - Parkie style |
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| YumaBev's Parkie fashion |
Thank you for reading this story, I hope you enjoyed it. This is just one of a hundred stories in my book, Parkinson's Humor - Funny Stories about My Life with Parkinson's Disease. Please consider purchasing a copy from Amazon.com or your favorite online book seller. Thank you and have a Happy Parky Day!
I know exactly how you feel, any kind of buttons give me a fit, so my wife bought me a bunch of shirts with snaps! Tom
ReplyDeleteFinger food! That's what I always order. Geoff
ReplyDeleteI also get pain in my hands (not all the time) -- pins and needles, numbness, stabbing...gnawing pain. You're right though, you learn to adapt. Excellent blog! JC
ReplyDeleteMy hearing has been bad so I went to Dr. He advised me I have all the symptoms of Parkinson's. I thought he was wrong. But in researching symptoms, I have them all including the pins and needles, numbness, stabbing and gnawing pain especially when holding my phone at nite laying down. I also had my first hallucinations yesterday. When I looked out the window, I thought it was snowing.
DeleteLater in the day I looked out and it was sunny, no snow, ice or snow on my car. I thought maybe I was asleep then. Now, I know it was a hallucination.
Good explanation. People wonder if I am in pain. I say its absolutely not painful, but it is extraordinarly annoying. What bugs me the most is all the confined spaces I have to get through during the day. Left hand turns are brutal, I have to do a clockwise spin and hope I don't fall over. I am not sure how I ever dealt with so many cramped spaces before without noticing them, or if they are something that has found me and latched on like a tick. B
ReplyDeleteI have no pain, but I sure do ache. If I don't take a nap in the afternoon, I hurt from my neck to my feet in the evening.
ReplyDeleteBev, I hop you don't mind but i shared your post on MagnaReady's Facebook page. We created a product just to combat the buttoning challenge. Your humor is uplighting!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Maura
Right on the money!
ReplyDeleteScott B
It's sad that I often do things with my left hand, even though I'm right-handed because it's easier! Parkinson has only affected my right side thus far... Kathy
ReplyDeleteA very good description of what the "Beast" feels like....thanks so much Bev.
ReplyDeleteI tried wearing dish washing gloves to type and it is hard. Inverting the hands makes it almost impossible.
ReplyDeleteGilles
I work in engineering (still). Although I am the early stages of Parkinson's, using the computer keyboard (double typing or missing keys, especially with the right hand), and using a mouse is difficult at times. These symptoms are one of the things that got me to talk to my doctor, which lead to my diagnosis. I use a Logitech track ball (thumb ball type) instead of a mouse, but typing is still difficult. Bev, enjoy your blogs, please keep it up and keep smiling!!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing you have shown our problems so well for others to understand. I've given up crocheting and hand craft work after 50 years. I was an active person in my early 60's until i had 20 falls in seven weeks. I had 7 concussions and was knocked out 5 times before after the 11th trip to the er they decided to admit me. They found 3 small spots where my brain had been bleeding. I had a bloods pressure condition from undiagnosed Parkinson's. I spent 10 weeks learning to write, read, walk,talk,dress, rollover in bed and how to do math and remember things. Then I was sent home to live all alone with my cat and no fresh food. I survived, but it was a tough introduction to Parkinson's. Thankfully it is much more kind now. Some speech problems but my cat doesn't seem to care.
ReplyDeleteYou did such a great job of letting people know first hand what a part of Parkinson's Disease is really like. I am going to buy you book today.
ReplyDeleteTrish
This site is so helpful! I'm not losing it..laughter is the best medicine!! Pam
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your humor, it helps me get through some days.
ReplyDeleteMichelle
I think you are simplifying PD , I agree that the dexterity, balance and twitching is a challenge, but you've failed to comment on the feeling PD gives you of feeling really poorly especially when the meds won't kick in. How do you demonstrate that?
ReplyDeleteRight on! But you should stay awake for 36 hours before putting the glove on. Tim
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly how I feel, I cant fold my clothes anymore, cant do so many ordinary things anymore. It is frustrating. Shirley
ReplyDeleteI know. Frustrating. You have to laugh or you'd never stop crying. Keep your sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteSheila
My hubby does cut my dinners up when needed, and anything with buttons and laces, too
ReplyDeleteAwesome post, I often say imagine jumping in the pool in winter then spinning around until ones really dizzy Benjamin
ReplyDeleteEveryone should try this especially if you have a loved one with Parkinson's, might help some in the understanding process & try to remember we don't get to take the glove off. Crystal
ReplyDeleteThe glove thing is exactly right for me, especially the dominant hand part. I'm lucky I was born ambidextrous, so my right is more sub-dominant, I can't use my left quite as well for say writing, but shaving, brushing teeth or hair, I'm about 80% of peak for right with my left. Scott
ReplyDeleteTo make the experiment more realistic get a friend or colleague to pester you to hurry up whilst doing it.
ReplyDeleteThe way I described it the first time was it's like wearing those green garden gloves all the time, even on great days, they're just tighter fitting on great days. Scott
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem in my right hand, real loss of dexterity. I thought it was due to carpal tunnel not PD. How can I be sure. I like how you handled the shirts!
ReplyDelete