Here is another recovery story, with a client, who has a Parkinson’s Diagnosis. The transcript is below, but first is a wonderful testimonial written by one of our group members about the video.
REGAINING HEALTH, AND SEEING AND CELEBRATING THE SMALL SUCCESSES ARE KEY
LIKE REGAINING ACCESS TO HER RIGHT ARM AND THE ABILITY TO WORK.
Foreword written by a group call participant for a Facebook post:
“Kathy is getting better and better, from seemingly small things such as scrubbing a pot, to brushing her teeth.
Listen as she shares how the function has returned and share in her joy as she tells of flipping on a light switch with a hand that could not do that for five years.
She did not consciously make that happen but rather realized that it just had. Share in her excitement about big things like getting a job after being told that her gainful employment days are over.
This is great news and “good medicine” for those of us who have been told by neurologists that our prognosis is “never better, only worse.”
People, such as Kathy and myself, get together for weekly group calls and share our experiences, strength, and hope.
We share what helps and what hurts.
Hint: one person, even just one, believing we can get better because they are actually doing it, helps more than any treatment or pill so far offered by the standard of neurological “care.”
The key is in self-care and stress reduction.
Through these techniques, people are getting better.
Her remarkable progress came gradually through 10 - 12 sessions with Scientist and Therapist, Lilian Sjøberg, Denmark.
Lilian, is now working together with Scientist and person with Parkinson’s Gary Sharpe, UK.
Through their work together they have brought to our world a program called HOPE shortcut.
Through their newsletter you can access information on how to join in the worldwide group calls with those of us who are learning from each other and doing what “they said can’t be done;” and that is getting better.
JOIN US. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU ARE NOT DESTINED TO GET “ONLY WORSE AND NEVER BETTER.”
Learn from those who are doing it. A bright light has come to the once-dark world of a Parkinson’s diagnosis. It is said that knowledge is power. There is plenty of it here.
Hope to see and meet you there soon. You are not alone in this. You are not the only one. We are all in this together. You are welcome here. We have been waiting for you.
Transcript
Lilian: Tell the guys that might see this video later:
What have you experienced in the last three months what are people telling you?
K: I've been getting people telling me that I'm getting better, that I'm looking well.
My sister's friends said how amazing I was doing.
And just in the last three months, yeah, I did things, small things like I was washing the dishes and picked up the scrubbing brush and started scrubbing a pot.
And before that, I would have had to stop and think:
How am I going to hold it?
Am I going to hold the handle?
Am I going to use my left hand?
Am I going to use my right hand?
Whereas now I, last night I just picked it up and did it, and I was halfway through it and I was like, “Oh wow, look at me”.
And then I kept going and nothing changed. It wasn’t like it did fall apart.
It kept going. I was like “What else can I do?”
Lilian: Small things that get easier and easier.
K: the small things that you do not stop and think about. Like turning on my light switch and using my right hand again instead of my left. I have always been right-handed. but have changed to left-handed because the right was not working very well. whereas now every now and then I'll pick up my toothbrush and start brushing my teeth with my right hand and go “Oh wow, right-handed”. I'm coming back to being right-handed again
Lilian: So how many years have you been left-handed due to Parkinson's?
K: Five and now I can catch a ball, so I can do all sorts of things, right-handed now.
Lilian: you're starting to get back your right-hand skills again.
K: Yes, yes I am. And my writing is getting better.
Somebody said to me a couple of days ago, “Your writing is pretty good for Parkinson's.”
Lilian: Yeah, okay. So that's number six person. And there was something when you said that you would apply for a job.
K: My brother said to me, “What are you going to do?”
And I said I thought I might see if I can get a part-time job over the Christmas period.
And he and he said “Oh yeah you could do that”, and somebody else actually said “Oh yeah I could see you doing that”, and a couple of years ago the same people told me you'll never work again. “Give up on your idea and never work again.” Whereas now I say I think I could do it they go “Yeah, I think you could too”.
Lilian: so are there any reflections about this in your family for example?
K: People say “Whatever you're doing keep doing it you're obviously doing the right thing.”
And I tell people about this process that you do [HOPE process], and how reframing it is very helpful. (=Yes, you can become better)
It's been really good, There must have been five or six people who've said in the last three months, they've made a comment and that's unsolicited, I haven't put anything out there and I'm NOT saying “How do you think I am”, they've just voluntarily given that information.
Lilian: And people don't do that every now and then. They only do it because they can see it.
K: Yeah, well, like you said, I see the little things, but other people don't see those little things. They don't see me using my left or my right hand to pick up my glass.
So, as you said, that means these big changes are coming - are there - because people are starting to notice. Which is sort of a double bonus.
Lilian: That is amazing
K: I am on the right track
Lilian: and it takes some time, I mean, we started I think three years ago it was before covid I think it was just before I think the winter when it started, But we haven't done a lot of sessions that's the thing between 10 and 20 or something like that.
K: I'm not even sure, I would say we're around the 10 or 12 mark really.
Unfortunately, I'm in a situation where I can't buy your time as much as I would be good, but in the time that we do go together, I try to apply and I keep what you say in mind and I, you know. It's good to come to the meetings and things like that to get reminders.
Lilian: yeah, we have had a little problem reaching Australia, but how was it today that there were more people on the call?
K: I like it when there are more people on the call. I mean it's good to have the one-to-one, but it's good to have the people in the call because you they say the same things or similar things or they that you embed in you: yeah that's what I thought yes that's what I was thinking.
Or they come up with something that you just hadn't thought of before, you know, you're close to that you haven't thought of before or a situation that you can relate to.
So it's really good.
Lilian: So the idea of these community calls, that we slowly find more and more people around the globe that connect about this development of our personal skills to deal with stressors and body memories [=Small and big traumas], what do you think about that is it good, or is it better to be alone?
K: No it's definitely better to be with people.
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The Remarkable Comeback: Rediscovering Her Right Hand - A Parkinson's Victory Story