- daddytom
- Sex: M
- Data Quality: 3 stars
- Parkinson's: 17 yrs
- Hoehn-Yahr 3 Type: Parkinson's disease On
- Mouth/throat: moderate
- Arms: mild
- Chest: mild
- Legs: mild
- daddytom
- Male, 63 years
- Canyon Lake, TX
- Primary Condition
- Parkinson's
- Type
- Parkinson's disease
- First symptom
- Apr 1995
- Diagnosis
- Oct 2002
About daddytom
I am a 62 yr old male that was forced to retire in Dec 2006. I received my PD diagnosis while getting a second opinion about having back surgery. In July 2007 after much prodding from my bride(30+yrs) and my neurologist I started the Comal County Parkinson's Support Group. Thought I'd get it going then bow out after 3 or 4 months and go hide in a hole somewhere. Four years later we have grown from 6 to having over 160 folks registered with us(this includes spouses, caregivers and a few adult children). We have gone from meeting once a month to twice a month.
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More About daddytom
We try and have a speaker at one of our meetings. We have had a neurologist, a psychiatrist, a physical therapist, a social worker, and a mobility aids company as some of our speakers.
What started as a laborious project has turned into a project of love. I do get frustrated with what appears to be apathy among our members, but then I have to remember that at 60yo I can't do half of what I could at 49 and I am the youngest member. Our average age is probably 74. And everyone of our members is a SWEETHEART and after each meeting everyone makes sure they shake my hand or give me a hug and thank me for what I have done. And you know...I didn't do anything except find someplace to hold a meeting. In 2009 we have had a PD Awareness Picnic in April, participated in a Walk a Thon in San Antonio, had a symposium in New Braunfels in October, We aren't much help raising funds for research, but we sure are good for each other. My bride of 30 yrs is my best friend and biggest fan. She is an ER charge nurse and works nights 7pm til 7am with a 1 hour commute both ways. She does not baby me and makes me be responsible for managing my own healthcare. She has noticed and commented on my memory loss and she reminds me that I am not the same person I was even 1 year ago. That it is ok for me to slow down occasionaly and take a nap or just sit and read for a couple of hours. It is hard to do since I have been my worse task master for many years. But I am learning.