One In A Million
I find the daily question at Rock Steady Boxing Green Valley interesting. You find out a lot about people in the answers the give or don’t give for that matter. I always approach these questions from the comedy angle first, because, well I am a funny guy. While others swim in much deeper waters than I, I like to play in the shallow end, I enjoy making others laugh. This particular day the question was “what do you want to know more about?”.
The answers were varied from quantum computers (Greg O), to is there other life forms somewhere out in space (fighter pilot Joe). I went with “why do women find Jason Statham good looking” personally I don’t get it. But after we were all done Bob observed that no one said Parkinson’s Disease. I spoke up and said, I knew all I wanted to know about Parkinson’s, and the group gave a collective head nod in agreement. I think part of my coping mechanism in dealing with Parkinson’s is ignorance, why should I allow a looming storm ruin an otherwise beautiful day. I know in some terms that’s stupid, but in coping with an incurable disease it’s pure genius.
Your first reaction after diagnoses is to gather as much information as possible so you can be fully informed, WRONG! Your head will explode trying to process all the possible combinations and outcomes. I remember going to Cleveland Clinic for a seminar with my wife shortly after being diagnosed. As we walked out, I said” well that was fun” it felt like a kick to the groin with cowboy boots. There was no good news or hope on the horizon all I could remember was the most effective medication Levodopa was invented in 1969, 50 years ago, wow.
That was the point where I said “no mas” to information overload, just like ice cream there is too much of a good thing, and I had reached that point quickly. I became consumed with wanting to know my future, and that pursuit became a huge drain on myself and my wife. So, I decided to get stupid and fight the urge to put Parkinson’s in my search engine. I was going to treat this like High School, “just enough to get bye Hitechew” they called me. I started living everyday as if nothing was wrong, I play, I laugh, and I make plans for the future, just like real people.
My personal ignorance as bliss campaign has allowed me to enjoy every day just as I had prior to my diagnoses. I am not saying information is bad, but I am saying too much can be crippling. So, watch your information diet, get plenty of rest and exercise and for god’s sake enjoy life.
By Mark Hitechew