MAYTAG MOMENTS

(Living with Parkinson’s) ©

by

Sam and Phyllis Turner

11.16 – 26

Summer/Fall again?

11.16.2020: Phyllis looked out her window this morning (before Yiska) and saw Orion rising over the Rincons.  That’s a Winter constellation. Mornings are in the 40ºs.

 I ordered two books from Mostly Books. M.J. Fox’s latest, No Time Like the Future, and another copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. (a gift for a friend’s daughter). We want to support our local independent bookstore when possible.

Last week’s issue of MM was Goals.  Remember?  One of the many things I like about Harvey is that he is honest with himself. Read and see if you can relate to his epiphany.

Harvey Stanbrough via gmail.mcsv.net 

https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?e=2c6901808d&u=10297d620c290f38594a27919&id=24a8c5052e

11.17.2020: 0630!~ I must have been tired. We watched THE VOICE and went to bed. 

1000: It’s 78º. We may hit 90º today! PJ is up doing her laundry.  That way, she’ll be sure and sort the colors correctly.  Uh-huh. We are having a late breakfast or early lunch.

1300: Aloha via Zoom.

1400-1530: Parkinson’s support group via Zoom.  Excellent interchange of subjects from the previous month. Improvements in the delivery system to the gut. Specialists who spend time with their patients – (twenty to thirty minutes vs. six to eight minutes!) PD specific movement training.

11.18.2020: 0500: Starting the M.J.Fox book, No Time Like the Future. Bought Greek to go at Opa’s! (That was a high point for today!) Read the first three chapters of Fox’s book. Finished CBS Sunday Morning. Watched Somebody Feed Phil. New Orleans to Mexico City food.  The trouble with this program is that we can’t click a button and have a sample of the food served to us.  Our friend and Chef, Ana, would love this series.

11.19.2020: 0600: Today, we went to our heart doctor for a semi-annual check.  This was a new experience because they taught us how to use their remote service. Dr. Kadia had spent the weekend working with Covid patients and self-quarantined himself for eight days. We sat in the exam room and spoke with him on a video tablet. (All A-OK!)

1300: Julie spent two-plus hours here, re-wiring  PJ’s access to tablets, I-phone, Kindle, and Minnie Mouse watch. Phyllis says: Thanks!

11.20.2020:

Women have long been leaders in Navajo culture. Now they’re steering the fight against Covid | The Guardian

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwKjTXnJBTDrGXjkKFRRfmxPfdG

This (above) was the first thing I saw when opening my mail.

Then this: Words against noise: ‘Rapid rabbi’ Jonathan Sacks died on Nov. 7^th https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwKjTZvrFKqzxqlcHhJLbcSfTMM

 From Carolyn’s Kansas farm for a moment of peace.

 Talk about Free-roaming! One wonders if they know Thanksgiving is less than a week away.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs for dinner puts a smile on Swombo’s face. We watched two more episodes of Somebody Feed Phil.

I am continuing to read No Time Like The Future.  I can relate to the feelings that M.J. Fox has when living with Parkinson’s.

11.21.2020: 0500: 56º:Started the day of Parkinson’s Specific training with Tresha.  I did not do well. Not having access to Body Central twice a week has broken my daily practice. Why? The routine has been mixed this past week. Still reading Michael J. Fox’s book. Quoting from pp.41-42:

Stirred but Not Shaking

“Something unexpected and magical has developed since I arrived in Bhutan: my Parkinson’s symptoms have lessened to the point where they are barely noticeable, not only to others, but to my own inner gyroscope.  I have to remind myself to take my meds.  As there is little need, I take less than prescribed.  Surprisingly, it had taken me a full day to acknowledge what is happening.  I keep quiet about my observations at first, and when speaking with the minister, I choose discretion.  What is happening for me is not happening for him.  This is intriguing. Is it emotional? Chemical? Is it spiritual, a period of grace? Parkies are notoriously prone to placebo effects . . . If that’s what this is, then toss me another sugar pill.  I feel renewed.  Could it be a reaction to the altitude (we are above 7,600 feet), or the interaction of the altitude sickness meds with my own? Or is it just the very palpable sense of contentment, ease, and Zenned-out bliss?

I can’t believe how “normal” I feel, given how abnormal the moment.  The decrease in symptoms — tremor, bradykinesia, and Parkinsonian gait —is a puzzle….

Having Parkinson’s is being in constant flux; in and out, on and off.  Every reaction to the drugs is met with an equal and opposite reaction when they wear off.  So you’re constantly trying to keep your foot on the cat’s tail until your toe starts tapping —and then the cat gets loose, and you have to chase it down all over again.  That feeling is absent in Bhutan; there is no “on” and “off.”  

Thinking about this passage: He was at 7,600 feet. I spent seventeen years living on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon at 7,000 feet. Hmm. I wonder if my condition would change if I lived there, now?

11.22.2020: 0430:  Here’s something to start your day. From Marilyn J.

VID-20201120-WA0013.mp4  

We spent the morning with virtual Church and Zoom TalkBack. PJ is practicing using her computer for Zoom, so we can participate as a Thanksgiving family from California to Arizona to Oklahoma (and maybe Utah). Julie is hosting this Thanksgiving extravaganza.  We have to make it work. We have four units. All we have to do is work correctly.

11.23.2020: 0345:  Happy BIRTHDAY to our son, Joe! I am wide awake. I am in no way attempting to emulate my friend Harvey (who awakens at this time regularly. But occasionally, my mental alarm clock goes off earlier than I plan.  My Matrix has an appointment with Borst Automotive at 0730. The drive is 15-minutes at the most (even with all red lights). So, knowing that I am wide awake, I’ll put 30-minutes on the bike as I watch CBS Sunday morning. (I know it is Monday.) The program is special, focusing on FOOD.

0600: Still reading Michael J. Fox’s No Time Like The Future  

Quoting from page 112: “Stay inside the frame.” (his walker)  They keep telling me, but as Parkinson’s only amplifies, my brain and my body are barely on speaking terms. This will prove to be a lasting issue.  That’s the exhausting part.  Every movement, every command, everything that should be reflex, is a negotiation between Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi (I don’t have to tell you which one is the brain.) 

The book is hard to put down.  If I can, I’ll put it down long enough to mail Maytag. Maybe that will be this evening.  I get to thinking about my sub-title – Living with Parkinson’s – and, as I read this book, I realize that this could be Previews of coming attractions.  Yet no one person has the same Parkinson’s. Tremors come and go for me. Today, I’m typing without using Dragon.  I prefer typing to speaking into the mike.

My keyboard keys are worn.  (Note missing letters.) They are beginning to click (my imagination) and I think I’m writing on my old Smith-Corona, portable.

Fortunately, I know Touch-Typing. (Thank you, Miss Clitheroe, my High School teacher.)

1900: We continued watching THE VOICE until 2130.

11.24.2020: 0415: Slept a little later this morning. Spent 30’ on the bike again.

0900: Drove PJ on some errands. 1500:The Matrix is ready.

 We got our meals from Home Chef! The kids added some surprises to PJ’s order. THANKS!!! Yes, we’ll take pictures.

 Jeanette, one of our Amway clients stopped for some products. 

Her family has lost three members to Covid-19!

Reality Check!

Stop for a moment, please.

A prayer will be welcome.

 11.25.2020: News this morning is that our good friend Sara Therese has returned from a three-month stay in Italy. She is writing and illustrating a children’s book from her dog’s point of view.  YISKA!

  Have a healthy Thanksgiving!