The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience. I like to speak of myself of having resilience and not just “I have Parkinson’s.” Therefore, why look on the downside of things, it doesn’t get you anywhere but sad.
This is a hard post to do, but I feel like I have to do it anyway. I’ve talked about having Parkinson’s in my past posts. I feel like my life is not going to end well, but I try to stay positive.
Nonetheless, one of my goals is to get a few more tattoos before I can’t. I can already feel the mental decline and the achy muscles and joints.
My Parkinson’s stems from the Zyprexa I take for the schizophrenia. But, it’s supposed to be a rare side effect. Ha, Ha, lucky me! Yes, that was sarcasm. There goes the positive attitude.
Parkinson’s Early Signs
It’s funny, but it;s not funny. My first indication that something was wrong was that when I was giving massages, my index finger on my left hand kept popping up.
I couldn’t figure out what was going on. Then the anxiety and panic attacks started in. Sometimes, when I was going to walk into the room, I would feel shear panic.
I couldn’t open the door. Then I couldn’t breathe. The first time it happened the paramedics took me to the ER to get checked out.
Regardless, that was my initiation to panic attacks. Soon after that they fired me. All over something that will eventually engulf my whole way of living. Scary.
Stage 1 Parkinson’s Disease- Changes in a Person’s Habits
The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience.
Hallmark side effects and symptoms of stage 1 Parkinson’s disease include tremors and other movement issues that tend to be exclusive to one side of the body.
My right side had a slight tremor. Also I started noticing my memory was being affected. I couldn’t recall words or spell some of them for the posts.
“Brain fog” was starting to creep in also. I’m scared of the future because I don’t want to end up in a nursing home. I used to work in one and I don’t want to stay there.
I’m trying very hard to make this blog work, so I can live off of that. I’m thinking of the future and how I want it to be, not how Parkinson’s dictates it.
Stage 2 Parkinson’s Disease- Muscle Stiffness and Posture Problems
Symptoms become more noticeable than the previous stage. Examples include noticeable tremors, stiffness, and trembling.
Also, changes to facial expressions can occur but are not always apparent to others. I’ve been in this stage for a couple of weeks now.
I have trouble going up and down stairs. Hell, I have trouble walking. I will be honest, the achiness is starting to get to me.
I’m trying not to make this a “poor me” post. No one wants to hear that. Therefore, I look up to Michael J. Fox, his spirit is so pure. He’s in a place mentally that I strive to be in.
Stage 3 Parkinson’s Disease-Poor Reflexes and Balance Issues
The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience.
Considered mid-stage Parkinson’s progression and a significant turning point in how the disease will progress from here on out.
While many of the symptoms remain the same or similar to that of stage 2, stage 3 can also introduce poorer reflexes and loss of balance at times.
For this reason, people in stage three experience more noticeable movement issues or appear to ‘slow down.’ Unfortunately, at this stage, falls become more frequent due to balance and reflex problems.
Not to be totally negative, but I just had a vision of myself falling down the stairs. Is that a premonition? I hope not! And I had a cast put on because I broke my wrist.
Stage 4 Parkinson’s Disease-Poor Motor Skills
Motor skills and deep brain stimulation are heavily impacted at stage 4 and as such, movement symptoms affect a person’s ability to retain their independence.
Therefore, many people cannot live alone in stage 4 of the condition due to a significant impact on their movement and reaction times.
I’m hoping against hope that I will have enough money to have caretakers come in and help me take care of myself. I’ve got this all mapped out in my head.
But, I feel like I’m running out of time because of the progression of the disease. We’ll see. If I can’t type, I’ll get a program that types the spoken words.
Stage 5 Parkinson’s Disease-Severe Stiffness
The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience. Symptoms of Advanced Parkinson’s Disease.
Severe stiffness can make it difficult, if not impossible, for a person to stand or walk.
This is due to stiffness causing the legs to essentially freeze when the patient attempts to stand. I knew I needed to do this post, but I’ve been avoiding it due to this.
Furthermore, up to 50% of Parkinson’s patients in stages 4 and 5 experience confusion, hallucinations, and delusions. Schizophrenia all over again.
I have to face the fact that physically this is how my life will end, but spiritually is a different matter. Thus, I’m grateful to be in a place of spiritually right now than where I was before.
What is the Life Expectancy of Someone With Parkinson’s Disease?
The average life expectancy for someone with Parkinson’s disease is more than 14.5 years, which is a 55% increase from 1967.
However, the life expectancy of people with Parkinson’s can vary depending on several factors, including:
Age at Diagnosis
People diagnosed at a younger age, like around 30, may live up to 40 years with the disease. I was diagnosed about 4 years ago (age 48).
Gender
Consequently, men are 1.6 times more likely to die earlier from Parkinson’s than women. Men always get the short end of the deal.
Symptoms
People with psychotic symptoms, like delusions or hallucinations, are 1.5 times more likely to die earlier. That’d be me.
In like manner, people with dementia symptoms are nearly twice as likely to die earlier.
Movement Tests
People who score lower on movement tests have a higher risk of dying earlier.
While Parkinson’s disease itself isn’t fatal, complications like infections and falls can be.
Treatments and lifestyle changes can help people manage symptoms and reduce their risk of complications.
How do You Know When the End is Near With Parkinson’s Disease?
The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience.
In sum, end-stage Parkinson’s disease is characterized by severe, progressive symptoms that make it difficult to manage and can lead to serious complications.
Some signs that the end is near include:
- Motor symptoms: Severe motor symptoms include muscle stiffness, freezing, and difficulty moving. People may also have difficulty with balance and coordination, and may fall.
- Non-motor symptoms: In short, non-motor symptoms include cognitive changes, depression, anxiety, hallucinations, and delusions.
- Decreased response to medication: Medications may be less effective or require a more complex regimen.
- Decreased physical functioning: In effect, people may need more support and may spend more time in bed or a chair.
- Weight loss: People may experience a significant weight loss, such as more than 10% in the past 6 months.
- Aspiration pneumonia: Swallowing problems can lead to aspiration pneumonia.
- Pressure ulcers: Pressure ulcers can occur due to loss of mobility and inadequate nutrition.
Hospice care may be considered for people with a life expectancy of six months or less. Palliative care can also help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
What is the Hardest Part About Having Parkinson’s?
The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience.
What is the hardest part…knowing what my future is going to look like. I cherish every moment that I have now because I know it’s not going to last.
My future is kind of already drawn out for me…physically that is. Not mentally. I’m trying to stay positive and thank God for all my experiences that have made me who I am today.
It was a rough road, but I believe I made it through that phase of my life. Now to go through the next chapter. I will come out ok.
I’m learning meditating and manifesting. Meditating helps relax me and I’m manifesting all the things I want out of life before I go.
What is the Personality of a Person With Parkinson’s Disease?
The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience. I believe you have to have a strong personality and a strong sense of self to fight this disease.
In reality, you don’t want to give up early in the game.You could easily loose yourself in the midst of the disease because delusions and hallucinations could come about.
You need to be drivin to face this head on. Your will power needs to be strong. I also believe you need to find the good in the bad, otherwise you’ve already lost the battle.
You need to be mentally strong because the disease is going to take you for a wild ride. There is going to be a lot of up’s and down’s.
What is the Two Finger Test for Parkinson’s?
The Two Finger Test for Parkinson’s disease is a simple clinical examination used to assess a patient’s motor function and coordination.
Particularly in relation to the presence of Parkinsonian symptoms.
During the test, the examiner asks the patient to touch their thumb to their index finger (or another finger) using one hand, and then to repeat the action with the other hand.
Whereas, the examiner observes for any signs of tremor, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), or difficulty in coordination.
This test is not a definitive diagnostic tool for Parkinson’s disease but can help in the evaluation of motor symptoms that may be associated with the condition.
A comprehensive assessment by a healthcare professional, including a detailed medical history and other neurological examinations, is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.
Sum It All Up
The stages of Parkinson’s: a personal journey of resilience.
How do I sum up Parkinson’s disease? It’s one of the worst diseases I could get, but I have to have a certain mindset as I progress through the 5 stages.
I’ve been through a lot in my life such as near death suicidal experiences. I’ve made my peace with God, I’m ready to go. So, I hope I’m not prolonged in pain and delusions.
And no I’m not talking about taking my life. Undoubtedly, I’m going to be proactive in fighting this eventhough I know I can’t win. Sorry, I’m crying as I write this.
This is why I put off doing this post, but I needed to find out the facts. Now that I know, it really hits home. Plus, I didn’t get any sleep last night.
I hope my memory will live on in this blog as I hope it will stay alive as long as possible. Live your life to the fullest. 🙂 Until next time…
Articles About Parkinson’s Disease
-Parkinson’s Disease
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8525-parkinsons-disease-an-overview
-Parkinson’s Treatment Options
-Newly Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease: 7 Things to Do Now
Have a Good One,
Cindee Murphy,
“One Voice Going Through The Stages Of Parkinson’s With Dignity”
“I often say now I don’t have any choice whether or not I have Parkinson’s, but surrounding that non-choice is a million other choices that I can make.”-Michael J. Fox
“I have no choice about whether or not I have Parkinson’s. I have nothing but choices about how I react to it. In those choices, there’s freedom to do a lot of things in areas that I wouldn’t have otherwise found myself in.”-Michael J. Fox
“It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.” -Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)
“I miss singing every day. I can’t sing anymore. My voice doesn’t work. I have Parkinson’s disease, and it sometimes takes my words away from me”-Linda Ronstadt
“If you asked my kids to describe me, they’d go through a whole list of words before even thinking about Parkinson’s. And honestly, I don’t think about it that much either. I talk about it because it’s there, but it’s not my totality.”-Michael J. Fox
Interesting Posts
Understanding the Motives: Why do People Commit Suicide?(Opens in a new browser tab)
Two Common Denominators Between Schizophrenia And Parkinson’s Disease(Opens in a new browser tab)
Tired of Being Tired: How To Conquer Anxiety-Induced Fatigue(Opens in a new browser tab)
Beyond the Voices: Navigating Residual Schizophrenia(Opens in a new browser tab)
Breaking Point: The Link Between Headaches From Anxiety(Opens in a new browser tab)
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