I’ve been mighty quiet recently. Very unlike me, I’m afraid. Times have been tough over at Stitch Towers, a major contributor to which has been a long lasting bout of insomnia. This is common amoung Parkinson’s patients but it doesn’t help in the slightest to know I am not alone. Believe me, at 3am you are alone.
I’ve been driven to taking mild sleeping pills which I am very unpleased about but I have never felt exhaustion like it. And I speak as a mother of two. Seriously, my brain just shut down.
What it has done is made me realise that Parkinson’s is quite serious. Now, on one level I’ve always known that, of course I have. But I’ve carrIed on my life pretty much as normal. I even had a baby! But this has stopped me in my tracks and has forced me to think. I’m ill, aren’t I?! no getting away from it.
So, I have to regroup. Think about what I need to feel well, to live well, to look after my boys…I don’t know the answer yet but it includes cutting stress, cutting alcohol right down (I like a nice glass of wine, I admit) and getting rest and exercise in the right proportions. Finally, guys, I’m going to have to get sensible. Who knew?!
I think it’s going to be a difficult journey tbh, I’m not very good at living at a sensible pace. I tend to pack as much into each day as possible. I get very frustrated when I can’t do things fast, like open my wallet. When you see an elderly person at the checkout fumbling with the plastic bags? That’s what I do except noone expects me to because I’m in my forties. There’s no doubt going to be more of that in the future. I can’t wait. I’ve got a lot to think about haven’t I?