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Monday, November 28, 2011

A Face of Stone - Parkinson's Disease

I sometimes have, what might be described as a Stone Face, in other words, a blank look.  The technical term for it, when it happens to us Parkinson's disease people is Masking, I guess because our faces seem rigid like a mask.  I think I'm smiling but might actually be frowning, which can be embarrassing when a humorous story has just been told at a party.  Of course, doing just the opposite can be worse.  

We had several neighbors over for dinner recently and as I was washing up the dishes afterwards, I noticed my cheeks were aching.  They felt really strange, so I stopped what I was doing and went and looked in the bathroom mirror and this was what my face was doing:
Click on any pic to enlarge it





Yup, I looked like Garfield, the cartoon cat.  No wonder my cheeks hurt.  How long has my face been doing this, I wondered?  I asked my Wonderful Husband, but he didn't know.  The next morning, I asked one of the neighbors if I had been grinning all during our get together the night before and she said "Yes, but I thought you were just having fun".  

Geez, that's great, I'd spent 2 hours grinning like a crazed cartoon cat at our dinner party.  It's a good thing they all know I have Parkinson's.  What if I had been at a funeral?  Or in court?  Yikes!  

But what if I was playing Poker?  I bet I could really have the other players confused, they wouldn't know if I was bluffing or not!  Hmm, sounds promising, but my hands would give me away.  They'd shake like crazy if I got Four of a Kind or a Royal Flush.  Oh, well, guess I'll stick to Solitaire.


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 or your favorite online book seller. Thank you and have a Happy Parkie Day!

16 comments:

  1. Hey Bev at least it's not a frown- but you are a true hero not actors, athletes you are Sherri

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  2. You're so right, I play poker and no one can read my stone face. Another Parkinson's positive!!! David

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  3. Thank you for sharing Bev, my Mom has Parkinson's & you are educating me! Tammi

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  4. Excellent! The past few days I have learned something new from you! Thank you! Kim

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  5. We should all be poker champions! We should also have our own t v channel.In the quizzes they could give contestants 10 minutes A question! Sam

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    1. I love that every part of this disease is addressed, and I love humor. Sam you totally made my day! Deb

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  6. Great story Bev! You paint a vivid and funny picture! Thanks

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  7. I can't help but smile every morning when I look in the mirror, and I see that absurd face.. I just HAVE to smile!!

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  8. I mask alot. It keeps them guessing.

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  9. Love this! Lol, so true!!
    Taryn

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  10. I know it's funny. Sometimes, I don't realize it until I see a photo and Wow! Sometimes it's a zombie face or I keep an eye closed and people ask what's wrong with my eye... Once a guy kept winking at me... Guess I was winking at him, it was hilarious! Ya Gotta Just Laugh!
    Stephanie

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  11. Very funny! My husband has PD and this did make us laugh

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  12. Thanks your humor. it adds so much to my life and makes me laugh at myself
    Frances

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  13. One of the reasons I got diagnosed although I have never had it freeze in a grin......yet. lol My wife likes to pull up the corners of my mouth to make me smile. lol

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  14. I had my lip curl up on one side. I thought I looked like a pirate. lol! Arg mateys!

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  15. For years people always asked my husband why he looked so mean lots of people were afraid of him That's funny because he is a sweetheart Now he does look mean.
    Elizabeth

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