A Sad and Debilitating Illness

There are many illnesses, diseases we can unfortunately have in our lifetime. Many sad and debilitating but amongst one of the saddest has to be Parkinsons.

A friend of ours has the illness and it is really like a living form of death or dying slowly maybe the unfortunate words to use. 

It's not the shaking that we see as in someone like Michael J. Fox the most famous sufferer most are aware of it's the frozen limbs, unsteady walking, head tilted to one side almost touching the shoulder kind.

Just about able to walk unsteadily with a walking stick and needing help a lot. Constantly on tablets and seeing specialists that really don't appear to be doing much at all. Botox injections to help straighten the neck; which really make no visible difference. Incontinence underwear often worn when out in case of accidents and progressively month to month becoming worse.

He has a caring partner but even for him it must be, I know it is, a strain. Trying to get help seems a very faint possibility. There are services but they seem stretched...too busy.

Fittings to make it easier, more comfortable, for the shower and toilet are installed but that seems about it. Oh and special food utensils to make eating slightly easier. But apart from that...that's about it!

To only be able to drink through a straw is sad to see. It's just upsetting that someone once so vibrant, and a world traveler, actually go through this is painful.

We meet out once a week for a morning coffee, but it is clear to see...well we know... it won't get any better just manageable...just. There seems no cure. There is no cure!

Every week walking becomes more difficult. We joke with him, not at him, that he has landed when he eventually is able to sit down. And he laughs. Straw at hand as he tries to drink his coffee all the while we are on the point of reaching out as the cup looks to spill as it sits precariously on the edge of the table. Plastic straws are being phased out and paper ones last no time at all with a hot drink.

It's just sad...sad!

He has good days but today wasn't one of those as he tried to eat a small cake with the coffee. It just goes everywhere as it's difficult to hold anything.

I can see people's expressions as he walks with a pained look in their eyes at such a debilitating and cruel illness.

Life is precious of course but I don't know if I could endure it, live with it, not knowing just what the eventual outcome will be. Most likely requiring specialised care.

If it were an animal, a dearly loved pet, would we be happy to see its gradual decline into possibly helplessness?

There is no end ...no way out. A conundrum indeed.

I would dread to be in that position...dread...dread...dread!