Why I drive with Parkinson's Disease

People are surprised to learn I drive. I was, and still think I am, a good driver. As soon as I got my license at age 16, my parents handed me the keys every time we went anywhere. I was the only non-employee allowed to drive my husband's company car. I have driven everything from a very tiny car to a 34-foot motor home, automatic transmissions and stick shifts, and I've towed boats, campers and big 5th wheels. I have never been in an accident and never get tickets. I am the annoying person who uses turn-signals and drives the speed limit.

Yes, I am really driving it, not just posing!

There are other reasons I drive:


1. I don't like to ride and if I close my eyes in a car, I get car-sick (so, no sleeping for me).


2. It is easier for me to get in and out of the driver's seat, because my left leg works better than the right one. I guess I won't be driving in those countries where you sit on the right side of the car (looks like England and Australia are spared).

YumaBev driving big car

3. I have an exceptional sense of where I am and where I need to get to. I can usually just glance at a map and then find my way there. I joke that I came with MapQuest installed in my brain.

Yuma Bev driving truck with camper on back

Now, if my Wonderful Husband also liked to drive, we'd have a problem, but unless it's a convertible with the top down, he'd rather be a passenger, so we're good for now. I have driven in 49 of our 50 states and most of the lower Canadian Provinces. I did, actually, have my hands on the tiller of a cruise ship in Alaska, but the Captain wouldn't let me drive it.


PS  There is a good reason there aren't many photos of me driving, I am the "candid photo taker" in our family and I can't take pictures of myself driving.

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!

Local Parkinson's Support Groups are good for you

I go to a local Parkinson's Disease Support Group, but a lot of my Parkie friends won't go to these meetings. They say it is too depressing, seeing people who are worse off then they are. I think they are wrong.

I am the youngest Parkie in my group, but sometimes younger people come to learn how to help Mom or Grandpa. We have members in all stages of this disease and the one thing I have noticed is: We all look forward to these once a month lunch time gatherings. Why? Because we share stories, we laugh, we see how people have adapted and we see hope. And of course, the desserts are great!

There are a few who still work for a living, which I cannot, unless someone wants to pay me to write these funny stories. There are a few who have had the DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) surgery, there are some who can no longer walk, but we all connect with one another, plus our care-partners get to talk to other care-partners and there are a lot of hugs.

Support Group Members

The way I see it, if seeing other Parkies in worse shape than you are is depressing, then I guess you shouldn't go visit your Parents when they get older and forget the Grandparents completely. After all, they aren't young anymore and you will probably end up looking like one of them someday. I already have the "Goshert" family chin, so prominent in family photos of my Aunts, Uncle and Grandpa.

I've already got the Goshert Family chin

Maybe it's because I grew up with senior citizen parents, but I like being around older people. Most don't complain about what they can't do anymore. Joke about it? Yes. Laugh about it? Yes, but complain? No.  

Plus, they have unique ways of adapting, like the man I saw yesterday using his golf putter as a cane, "Works much better this way than it ever did on the golf course!" he said. Or the one that had all his buttons on his favorite shirts replaced with snaps "I can pretend I'm a Chippendale at bed time and just rip it open" he laughed.  

Check out a local support group, if there is one near you, you might just have a good time and make some new friends!  Plus the desserts are really, really good.

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!

Yuma Bev takes a Picture

I like to take pictures, but since I have Parkinson's Disease, I am not exactly steady.  I have an inexpensive Point & Shoot camera with a viewfinder as well as the display screen.  Holding the camera against my face helps and it has Image Stabilizer built in, which means it will adjust for some movement (shaky hands, wobbling body).  I should use a tripod, but I'm too lazy, and I'd probably knock the whole thing over. 

My neighbor, Sharon, is a Master Gardner, so her yard is a favorite place for me.  She has blooming plants, interesting decorations and an unobstructed view of the mountains to the east. She also finds humor in the blonde girl, still in pajamas, wandering in her yard, taking photos at sunrise.

Sharon's yard

My photos of her cactus blooms have been featured in other blog stories.  I even won a Facebook Flower Photo Contest with one.  The prize was a Worm Farm, (no, I don't know what it is) which I promptly donated, sight unseen, to the local 4H club.

The nice people at the University of Arizona -Cooperative Extension Department contacted me recently and asked permission to use one of my cactus pictures for their brochure.  They offered me a signed book on Arizona Insects by Carl Olson as compensation. I guess I should have kept the worm farm, I could have fed the worms to all the insects I can now identify.  I, of course, said YES and promptly called and told Sharon the news.

The Photo they used

Well, the Insect book and a sample of the brochures arrived today. I was expecting the little 4x8 type flyer found in hotel lobbies.  Instead, it was a big tri-fold fancy brochure and right inside was my photo, prominently featured.  Needless to say, I was thrilled. 

My picture inside brochure

Then I looked closer and there it was, in small print, "Photo by YumaBev". Photo credit was a bonus, it wasn't part of the deal.

It says Photo by YumaBev

So, now I guess I can add Photographer right after Humorist and Songwriter on a job application. Of course, no one will be able to read my hand-writing except a Doctor. 

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!

Yuma Bev and the Sleeping Cactus

I saw the cactus last summer on one of my morning walks, took a picture of it and laughed when I saw it on my computer. I made a humorous Parkinson's Disease cartoon out of it. 

YumaBev's funny Parkinson's Cactus cartoon

A month later, it bloomed and it was even funnier.

The Parkinson's Disease Cactus blooms!

I met the owner, Bill, last fall and told him about his cactus and its funny bloom. He told me the story of how he acquired it. He said it was over in the corner of the Cactus Place, almost hidden from view. It had been a nice cactus, but the wind had knocked it over and now it was ruined. Bill saw it and asked "How much?" and the man said "$5, you can cut the main stem off and the rest will grow fine", so Bill took it home and planted the whole thing, fallen stem and all and then he went home to Canada for the summer. He said everyone called it the Viagra cactus and teased him about it. 

I promised to email him a photo if it bloomed again while he was gone this summer.

Well, the sleeping cactus did bloom again, twice, since Bill left.  The first time was in April and I took a picture of it that I entered in a contest (I didn't win).

The sleeping Parkinson's Disease cactus blooms again

Cropped photo I entered in contest.

The second time was just a few days ago and it was stunning.

The sleeping cactus shines

I guess the sleeping cactus had the last laugh.  All it needed was someone to overlook it's imperfections, take it home, treat it well and let it shine.  Don't we all?

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!

Joy and Sorrow, Worries and Cheers

Last week was a mix of emotions for both myself and my Wonderful Husband. 


On Monday, we celebrated Freida's birthday.  Phil & Ruth invited all of us for lunch, we had cake and spent the afternoon laughing.  Freida had trouble blowing out the candles, but managed to blow most of the cinnamon sugar off the cake and all across the table. We were all giggling like a bunch of teenagers.

Freida's Birthday Cake

Sugar all over

On Tuesday, we attended a Celebration of Life service for a friend who passed away suddenly.  David's death was quite a shock, we had just seen him at pizza a few days earlier. I was concerned the emotional toll might exaggerate my Parkinson's Disease symptoms and make me stand out in the crowd, but I did okay.

They handed out swans at David's service

On Thursday, I went to the Dermatologist, I was worried, but everything was fine. You can read all about it at Red spots, Barnacles and getting older.


On Friday, we went to see a local High School Play and cheered at the very good acting.


It was a week of emotional ups & downs and I took extra naps to Recharge My Batteries, but I lived my life and did NOT let Parkinson's Disease ruin it.  Good advice for all of us.


Clicking on anything COLORED in a story will open another window and take you to that link.

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!