Aches, pains are part of old age

It started years ago, but I thought it was just old age creeping in.

A friend, Lou, and I had arranged that we would meet and ride together to our monthly writer's group meeting in her new, little Japanese car.

I'm no little gal, but I was surprised when I had a problem doubling up to get in beside her. It wasn't as tight a fit, as trying to double up to fit in the back seat of my son's TransAm.

I must be getting old, I thought.

Then, one day on the way to visit a friend, I picked a bouquet of old fashioned roses. I buried my nose in them, but …

What in the world?

They didn't have the wonderful odor I remembered.

My thoughts of growing old and decrepit continued and increased. I slowed down and became awkward.

The thoughts of the ravages of old age continued.

I tripped and fell. When old friends talked of going dancing, I thought, I can't dance!

My knees went bad and I had one of them replaced. I didn't do the second knee, which is now bad with arthritis. Even worse, my right shoulder has an old dislocation that is aggravated by my arthritis.

Then one day, a friend and a health care lady who had helped me with my late husband George during his years of being bedridden, observed my decline and suggested that I be given tests for Parkinson's disease. I was sent to the hospital for an MRI that revealed Parkinson's.

Parkinson's?

Where did that come from?

My brother Herb had it, but he was an entomologist exposed to pesticides.

Answers were slow at coming.

I hunted for information and read about Parkinson's, but many of my questions went unanswered.

My inabilities increased. I was told about a Parkinson's Group that meets from 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. on the second Friday of each month at Tierra Oaks Clubhouse.

I began to attend the meetings and in just a couple of sessions I learned more than in all of my prior reading.

For questions call Maggie or Susanne at Mountain Caregiver Resource Center at 229-0878