Parkinson’s as a Dad
I watched a documentary of a man living with early on set Parkinson’s disease. The video I watched is titled Dad living with Parkinson’s. At the time this documentary was filmed, Andy had been living with Parkinson’s disease for 5 years. His diagnosis is considered early onset because he was diagnosed with this disease before 50 years old. Andy is a husband and a father of two children. He lived a very active and busy lifestyle before his diagnosis. Since his diagnosis he has had to make several adjustments to his life to be as independent as possible. Some changes included cutting back hours at his job, having to adjust the way he drives, and dropping their mortgage and start renting their home due to medical expenses. Some of his symptoms him and his family pointed out include slurred speech, forgetfulness, tremors, unwanted involuntary movements, and difficulty with his gait. Andy experiences many more symptoms than this but those are some of the main ones affecting his daily life. Andy is trying to be as positive as possible about his condition, so he is still active at work because he says it keeps him mentally alive and it helps him forget about his Parkinson’s. As a father he wasn’t sure how he was going to explain what was happening to him to his children. He decided to write a poem and turn it into a cartoon video to explain this disease in a simple, non-scary way. He went on a trip with other individuals from New Zealand living with Parkinson’s so he could have support through this journey with people who understand what he is going through. To manage some of his symptoms and pain, he works with a neuro physiotherapist as well as using medications to manage his symptoms. At the end of this documentary, Andy is considering getting deep brain stimulation surgery, which can ultimately lead to reduced pain, tremors, and involuntary movements. This could significantly improve his quality of life, but this procedure is limited to certain people and has a waiting list. Andy was put on the waitlist, and he is hopeful about this procedure so he can gain some more time with his family and reduce his overall pain.
I choose to watch this video because I knew very little about Parkinson’s disease and I wanted to learn more about the details and how it affects someone’s everyday life. I learned so much about this disease such as symptoms, different ways to adapt and adjust with Parkinson’s, and different treatment options. This video helped me visualize the content I learned in class and help me grasp an overall better understanding about the impacts on someone’s life with Parkinson’s. To further my knowledge on this topic I did more research into Parkinson’s New Zealand to learn more about what programs they have to offer. Something I found is that they have a Red Tulip Walk every year the day before World Parkinson’s Day. This walk is supposed to bring the community together and raise awareness for Parkinson’s. I highly recommend this video to anyone who wants to learn more about the everyday life of Parkinson’s. Click below to watch Andy’s story and to check out Parkinson’s New Zealand.
Reference:
AttitudeTV. (2016, July 26). Dad living with parkinson's. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bp9n60m3AY.
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