March 31, 2011. Snake Oil Salesman

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month. Many are taking the opportunity to walk 30 Miles in 30 Days For Parkinson's Disease Awareness. This may not seem like much, but to someone with PD, it can be a great accomplishment.


I'm a lucky guy. I still walk far more than 30 miles in 30 days. The progression of the disease in me has been slow. I attribute that to luck, exercise and attitude.


Luck, because it has progressed much faster in others.


Exercise, may be the reason that it has progressed slowly.


Attitude, keeps me pushing myself, even when I'd rather not.


There is no cure for this disease, but there are ways to slow the progression.


Through the internet I've met a lot of people with Parkinson's Disease. The Internet can be a wonderful place. It can also be a very dangerous place. There are those out there who try to sell us "cures" for the incurable.


As a Lawyer, I have been trained to be skeptical. If someone is offering something that no one else can give, be it a product, income, a cure etc..., they are trying to pull something over on you.


So if you know somebody who has Parkinson's Disease, who has Alzheimer's Disease, who is elderly etc... try to find out what they are doing on the internet. That person offering them a miracle, and asking them for money cannot deliver.

March 28, 2011. Moment to Moment

Things can change in the blink of an eye. One moment I had a successful business, I was independent, and my health and safety were the furthest things from my mind. Then the Doctor said that I've got "minor Parkinson's Disease." He then excused himself to take a telephone call.

Now just like when I started, I'm living "hand to mouth." A little more does get in the mouth. I depend upon people to drive me places, to keep my business afloat, and to maintain my sanity. I'm more susceptible to falling, and I’m acutely aware of shadows following me. The last fact makes me extremely uncomfortable, because being 6’2”, 240lbs, I was never afraid of anything.

On the plus side, I now cherish life like I never have before. Things like writing a funny story, taking a nice picture, or taking a walk in Central Park, reading a book give me more joy than I previously experienced.

I’ve learned not to feel sorry for myself. I’ve also learned how to keep myself company.

Why did it take having Parkinson’s Disease for me to realize how well off I’ve always been? I think that I enjoy my childhood more through wonderful memories then I did as a child through the actual experiences.

I’ve had a lot of formal education, but I knew nothing about life. It’s never too late to learn.

March 22, 2011. Shaken not Stirred

I was asked for a poem about my plight.
After a sort debate, I said alright.
Since you've asked for Poetry, Madam
I will try, said Marc-I -Am
My favorite poet was Dr. Seuss
So watch out now, I’m on the loose
Parkinson’s may have slowed me down
But on my face. appears no frown
Limbaugh may think that we are fakin'.
I'll mix him a Martini, he'll see it's not stirred but shaken.
Buttons, Ties and Laces cause me trouble
And I'd prefer to skip a shave and have a stubble
My handwritten is unrecognizable
sloppy, shaky and barely sizeable.
But if you attempt to match me, word for word
I guarantee, you'll look absurd.
Don't waste your time with this endeavour.
My mind is just as sharp as ever
Just as it was, when I did start,
It's my second favorite body part.

March 20, 2011. The Perfect Storm

I haven't written in a while. There's just been no time. Work has actually been busy. It's strange, for years I hated my work. I found it tedious and unfulfilling. Now, I miss those days. Last week I was booked every day. I felt great. As a result I felt great.

There was a time, that it wasn't unusual for me to do three closings in one day, prepare a couple of contracts and return every telephone call. I'm not fooling myself, those days are over. What killed them was The Perfect Storm.

Parkinson's caused my depression. Furthermore in order to accomodate the PD, I had to move my office. That, in conjunction with the worst housing market since the Great Depression was the perfect storm.

Now at 54, with PD, I struggle to get my business back. Last week I got a referral from a Realtor, who I used to get 60+ deal a year from. It was my first referral from them in 2 years.

It's hard building back the practice, but I'm excited by it. I think that the harder I work, the less the PD will effect me!

March 10, 2011- Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Perhaps the toughest part of this disease, is the mystery. Not knowing when, where or if it will get worse. Not knowing if the medications will start having a side effect. But this is truly no different than anybody else, with or without Parkinson’s.

So how do you choose to live your life, knowing that it could drastically change tomorrow. Mickey Mantle, believed that he wouldn’t live past 40. So he drank heavily and caroused, and was all in all a pretty miserable guy. He lived into his mid 60's, when his drinking caught up with him. Not only did he make himself miserable, but all around him suffered.

I don’t drink, and I’m not Mickey Mantle, so carousing has never been an option, but I did at times have the ability to make people miserable around me. I was often moody and sullen. Not a good combination with a quick sarcastic tongue.

Luckily I realized that as much as people may like you, they rightfully, do not want to be around somebody who is self pitying. Although others can avoid you, you can’t avoid yourself. Parkinson’s brought me to this realization. I wanted to have good days, and not bad days. Much of that was in my control.

So this may all end tomorrow, or it may go on for 35 years. Either way, I want my tombstone to say, “He made them laugh,” not, “What a bore.”