My name is Geoff, I am a regular plain white tee shirt kind of guy, nothing special, in my middle ages (not FROM the Middle Ages, thank you !) and my professional background is in the aerospace industry, mainly in leadership roles in Customer Service. And guess what?, most of the time, people that don’t know me would not have any idea that I have PD, unless I am having one of my “wobbly days”, wherein my right leg and right arm are weak and want to do their own thing, and on those days I use a cane for support. I am definitely not a medical professional, so, please do not use this guide as a primary or definitive treatment of care plan, please always seek the services of a good Neurologist, preferably one that specializes, or at least has experience with, working with people with PD, and coordinate with your primary care Doctor and other professionals that will be part of your evolving care plan. Why am I sharing my experiences ? I want to help people, there’s nothing more to it than that. I started experiencing some of the more classic and recognized symptoms of PD, such as a trembling right hand, less facial expression, apathy, memory impairment etc., but the most troubling and disruptive aspects of my PD journey so far have been cognitive. My formal diagnosis of having PD, after many months of different tests was in Fall 2022. I was not surprised at the diagnosis, although there is no history of PD in my Family, but my Aunty passed at an early age due to Multiple Sclerosis, which is not the same as PD at all, but has some common pathology and symptoms. Of course, I had many questions, and I am fortunate to have one of the most thorough, caring and funny and “tough love” Neurologists out there, she is wonderful. But, there are no black and white answers for PD, and each individual will have different experiences, progression rates, etc. I found that, at least in the 2 geographic areas I have lived in since my diagnosis, there really is not much real-life non-medical support. There seemed to be quite a few support groups for people with Alzheimer’s Disease, and for the relatives of people with that disease, but not much for people with PD, especially in the early stages of the disease. I wanted to share my experiences to help others so that they are not alone, they don’t have to be alone in this journey, and I have been guided and found ways that really help me – I want you to have that knowledge so you can try them if you wish.
