One in a Million By Mark Hitechew

Throughout history there are many dates that remind us of events that change the course of history. June 6th, 1944 D-Day; December 7th, 1941 Pearl Harbor; September 11th, 2001 the attack on the Twin Towers. These dates represent extreme loss followed by amazing stories of heroism. Everyone diagnosed with Parkinson’s has a D-Day, otherwise known as Diagnoses Day, mine is February 13th, 2017. That day altered the course of my life till death, and like the other dates listed above, my personal war started well before that faithful day, I just did not know it.

My personal D-Day anniversary reminds me of the tragic loss I felt that day. My hopes and dreams were dashed with four words, “you have Parkinson’s disease”. I could not think, breath or feel in that moment, all was lost or so it seemed. They say war is hell and in the following days and weeks it felt that way, it felt like I had died, and in fact that part of me did. But wars are not won or lost in one day, so February 13th, 2017 was not the end, it would in fact become the beginning of my personal war to regain my happiness.

Grieving will not change a thing, my personal war started two years ago this week without my consent and will continue until a winner is declared. But like all war stories mine will have stories of victory and defeat, courage and bravery, and even humor. But in the end like all wars there will be only one winner and that will be me.