What is it Like to Have Parkinson’s Disease?
Video by Nick Hawkes
Ever wonder what it’s like to have a debilitating disease like Parkinson’s? To know that you are deteriorating, losing your mobility, your independence?
In this video, Invictus Coach, Nick Hawkes, interviews his mom about her experience with the disease, reflecting back to the warning signs even before she was diagnosed, all the trial and error in finding the right combination of meds, surgery to have an electrode implanted in her brain, and discovering ways to keep active and not succumb to the disease.
Her sweet nature and honest replies give you an intimate look at what it’s like to take on the battle of your life. Her unwavering strength and determination to keep moving are both inspiring to make the most of what we have and motivating to never stop using your body.
Nick’s mother, Sue, has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for the past 15 years. For those of you unfamiliar with the disease, Parkinson’s attacks the body’s ability to produce dopamine and slowly robs you of your ability to control your own body.
In the simplest of terms, it is a disease that takes away your ability to move freely. It makes simple tasks that you take for granted, like signing a birthday card, extremely difficult. Even leaving the house can become concerning enough for those suffering from the disease to become homebound.
Exercising Takes on a New Purpose
Most of us exercise to lose weight, get that 6-pack, or even train for an event. But when you’re diagnosed with Parkinson’s, you exercise to be able to use your body and so you can keep your independence.
Luckily for Sue, with the help of her son, she’s found a recipe for treatment that includes both medications, brain stimulators, and exercise. Since finding out about his mom’s condition, Nick has been passionate about movement, motor control, and function and has helped create a plan for her that seems to be keeping her at a reasonable level of mobility that is not declining at a rate that many others see.
She may not do her step aerobics anymore but Nick has been creative with ideas for her to try. One exercise modality that she saw great success with was “Rolling the Ropes” which uses a heavier rope than a jump rope but it’s not for jumping. Instead, the rope is used as a tool to enhance rhythm, awareness, connectivity, and linkage. Rolling the ropes allows you to express motion across planes and in various directions. It has been really interesting for Nick and Sue to see the rapid improvements in her movement fluidity in only a few sessions of practice.
The 3 Peak Challenge
To honor his mom, raise money for Parkinson’s research and to celebrate and enjoy his own body’s ability to move freely, Nick and fellow Invictus Coach, Holden Rethwill, have decided to do the SoCal 3 Peak Challenge. Parkinson’s took the life of Holden’s grandfather so this is a cause near and dear to both of them.
This Challenge is an undertaking of the three highest peaks in Southern California – Mt. Baldy, San Jacinto, and San Gorgonio. The combination of these three is roughly 40 miles of hiking! But here is the kicker; their goal is to summit all three peaks within 24 hours!
How to Participate in the Three Peak Challenge
Donate to the Fundraising Page!
Their goal is to raise $3000 and donate it to the Michael J Fox Foundation’s research for Parkinson’s Disease.
If you are interested in joining Nick and Holden in their training or on their journey – please send your videos or email, questions or comments to Holden or Nick.
My husband who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease for 2 years at the age of 75 had all his symptoms reversed with Ayurveda medicine from naturalherbscentre. com after undergoing their Parkinson’s natural protocol. God Bless all Parkinson’s Caregivers. Stay Strong, take small moments throughout the day to thank yourself, to love your self, and pray to whatever faith, star, spiritual force you believe in and ask for strength. I can personally vouch for these remedy but you would probably need to decide what works best for you.
My husband was diagnosed of Parkinsons disease 2 years ago, when he was 49. He had a stooped posture, tremors, right arm does not move and also a pulsating feeling in his body. He was placed on Senemet for 8 months and then Siferol was introduced and replaced the Senemet, during this time span he was also diagnosed with dementia. He started having hallucinations, lost touch with reality. Suspecting it was the medication I took him off the Siferol (with the doctor’s knowledge) and started him on PD natural herbal formula we ordered from Health Care HERBAL CENTRE, his symptoms… Read more »
My grandma has Parkinson’s disease, she is about 75 years old it was detected 7 years ago. Right now it’s getting more difficult to live for her, because of stiff muscles she can’t even move. L-dopa and carbidopa medicines are given, but won”t give much relief. She can”t eat food and the skin is damaging forming ganglia. I thought this might be the last stage and the medications she was given did not help at all, so I started to do alot of research on natural treatments, I was introduced to Health Natural Centre and their Parkinson’s Herbal Protocol. She started… Read more »
I was diagnosed 2 years ago at age 63. Symptoms were tremor in right leg, loss of handwriting ability,My normally beautiful cursive writing was now small cramped printing and soft voice. I also had difficulty rising from a seated position and have balance issues. I started out taking only Azilect, then Mirapex, and then Sinemet. Several months ago I started falling frequently, hence the reason for Sinemet. During the summer of 2021, I was introduced to Health Herbs Clinic and their effective Parkinson’s herbal protocol. This protocol relieved symptoms significantly, even better than the medications I was given. Visit www… Read more »