Blog

01 Feb 2012 by Chris Boughton

My college break following the completion of the first semester of the first year of my degree course in English and History is drawing to a close and I return for lessons next week. My assignments and essays are all up-to-date and the preparatory reading for the fiction module, new for this semester, has also all been completed. We are due to have six lessons per week; there will be two lessons on political history, one lesson on introduction to history, two English lessons on fiction and one lesson on poetry. The lessons are one and half hours each so that is 9 hours of lessons per week in total. Whilst that may not sound like very much it will definitely be an extra challenge for me this semester.

Not-so-Blue Monday

24 Jan 2012 by Meg Pinfield

Our local TV station announced that January 16th was Blue Monday, the gloomiest day of the year during the bleak post-Christmas slump. Luckily it was a good day for us. We had three appointments offering help and advice for Ivan with his Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms and me as his carer.

On the buses

19 Jan 2012 by Laura Lewis

I have been a regular bus user since giving up driving four years ago when I fell asleep at the wheel of my car and ended up in a hedge. Daytime somnolence and night-time insomnia are symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and incompatible with safe driving. Having surrendered my licence, I received the compensation of a free bus pass. Living near the centre of a large town, I can take full advantage its efficient bus network. A bus pass is one of the few perks of having PD.

Managing my Parkinsons Disease Symptoms

12 Jan 2012 by Chris Boughton

I was recently asked by a new member of the Parkinson’s disease internet patients’ forum that I administer what tips I could give with respect to trying to manage the symptoms of PD. I pointed out that everyone with PD is different and there are obviously also issues concerning the stage that a patient’s illness is at. However, the member persisted so I attempted to relate what I do on a daily basis to make life easier for myself, bearing in mind that I was diagnosed nearly 8 years ago aged 51.

Amazingly Amazed, Despite Parkinsons Disease Symptoms!

16 Dec 2011 by Chris Boughton

The 15th of December was my last day at college until 23rd January, so the first semester is now finished. I have had my first two essays returned, with feedback and grades, and to my amazement the grades on both were very good, and in fact way ahead of my expectations. The feedback was also good and I cannot emphasise enough what a huge relief this is to me.

When did it all start?

09 Dec 2011 by Laura Lewis

We liked “Mr Shaky”, an elderly man who shuffled into to our classroom every Friday afternoon to collect money and stick stamps in our National Savings books. He had a crooked posture, his voice was croaky and we couldn’t take our eyes off his unsteady hands. Sticking the pretty green stamps of Princess Anne on the right page and in the right spot was hit-and-miss for him. At the age of 5, this was probably my first encounter with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Little did I know that it would become my unwelcome companion in future years.

Finding Respite

06 Dec 2011 by Meg Pinfield

Carers need breaks. According to the charity ‘Parkinson’s UK’, caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be particularly stressful. They mentioned this during Carers Week last June and based it on their survey of about 2,000 PD carers – so maybe people like us need breaks more than most carers! In my case, the number of people urging me to take a break kept growing, but Ivan and I still resisted. It is hard when the person you are caring for is your dearest companion. We didn’t want to be apart and felt we would worry about each other if we were separated.

Sunshine in November

05 Dec 2011 by Chris Boughton

The history assignments for my degree are coming thick and fast, and I urgently need to get myself organised. I like to be well ahead of the scheduled submission dates just in case my Parkinson's disease (PD) decides to give me a rough ride. I have an essay on a historical primary source (I am doing Satirical Prints) to complete and submit by 12th December and another assignment to be done by 6th January. I have started neither yet and today I am not at college so I planned to start the most urgent one. However, the sun is shining and inspiration was sadly lacking, so I decided to head for the forest for a walk with my dog instead. I cannot walk far without fatigue rearing its ugly head but 20 minutes in the forest is a delightful diversion. The 10 minute drive there and back through the Suffolk countryside is equally delightful. Therefore, the essays are on hold until the weekend anyway. My dog loves the forest walks too so it was a unanimous decision. I guess I could have started the essay now that we are back from the forest but I thought that writing about it might prolong the experience! Anyway, I have done a fair bit of research for the first essay so all is not lost. However, I must do most of the writing for both assignments (about 3,000 words in all) before Christmas as we have a very busy festive period this year.

Christmas is coming

22 Nov 2011 by Chris Boughton

It always amazes me the excesses that some people go to in celebration of Christmas with total disregard to the prevailing economic climate. I guess apart from the historic religious connections and celebrations there are all the issues concerning the distraction from the stresses of our everyday lives and the associated feel good factor. At the moment I personally have more than enough distraction from my life with Parkinson’s disease (PD). I have submitted two essays (1,000 words each; one for history and one for sociology) in the past month and I have two more to write and submit before we break for the Christmas holiday period. I was concerned when I first embarked on this course that I would be seen as just an old man with PD and that I would feel isolated by this. The reality is totally the opposite. PD struck brutally at college one day earlier this week, with my back going into a very painful spasm. It was impossible to concentrate or study and I was forced to go home halfway through the lesson. Later that evening one of the other students scanned and emailed numerous hand-outs to me, totally unprompted.

Keeping up appearances?

11 Nov 2011 by Meg Pinfield

Gradually, with the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD), he has simplified his wardrobe further. Nowadays he relies on jogging pants, polo shirts, baggy socks, and zip-up, slipper-like boots – whatever the occasion! This certainly helps me, and the other carers, when assisting him to dress and undress. It also means that he can retain some independence and take himself to the loo. Trousers with hooks, zips or buttons would be too difficult. Although he has no hand tremors, he does have a certain stiffness in his hands, so anything requiring dexterity is difficult for him, including eating.

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