Independent Living

clear blue sky with a small fluffy white cloud and sunlight beaming in from the right.

Moving On Alone I’ve put off writing about this for some time. It’s tricky. I have wanted to work it through in my head but I don’t want to upset anyone with what I say. I’m going to write about my recent decision to do something many people have thought is ridiculous, rash, stupid and … Read more Independent Living

Positive Affirmations

reads - the pen is mightier than the sword.

Positive Affirmations Emma wrote recently about Mohammad Ali and how it created her own motivational mantra. How positive affirmations helped her feel some much better day to day. I used to think that mantras were just for the hippies. The brown rice and sandals brigade. (Disclaimer – I own both brown rice and sandals) However … Read more Positive Affirmations

A Day in the Life – Emma

emma in a singlet and leggings perfoming a high karate kick

A Day in the Life – Emma Woke up, got out of bed, took a bunch of dopamine. Living with Parkinson’s sometimes involves some crazy swings and roundabouts in energy, and general feelings of wellbeing. Yesterday I gave a good demonstration of how suddenly and shockingly I can crash. I was making pancakes for lunch, … Read more A Day in the Life – Emma

I’m The Greatest!

emma crouching in a pink tee shirt and black leggings.

The Muhammad Ali Approach to Affirmations Last year for Christmas I bought a ‘Big Life Journal’ for my two boys. It’s a guided journal with a series of research-based activities and resources to help kids build positive “growth-based” mindsets. The one we got was for “tweens/teens”, but there are different versions for younger kids. My … Read more I’m The Greatest!

What’s in a Name? The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

image of a virus close up

Disease or Condition? I had a call from a friend yesterday that had been reading my blog. She asked me why I kept referring to Parkinson’s with the word ‘Disease’, as she knows I hate that term. I explained that it is a new website and I wanted to attract the widest traffic I could, … Read more What’s in a Name? The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

Pain Sucks – The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

emma dressed in black squatting on a tree log in a field against a blue sky with a wooden fence in the background.

Pain Sucks Hey, well I…oh, I’m still alive. Sorry I’m a child of the 90s, I can’t help quoting Pearl Jam lyrics. It’s still my internal sound-track, although the grunge era (and my teens) are well over. But being alive is feeling pretty good even though I dropped down to a low ebb this week. … Read more Pain Sucks – The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

Just Me, No Apologies – The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

kitty with arms behind her head laughing in a pink dress.

I am Who I am I wrote a piece this week about how I felt about exercise. In it I wrote a list of things I feel when people talk to me about Parkinson’s. Two points were “I know I look fine, but I’m not” and “Stop trying to make me feel bad because I’m … Read more Just Me, No Apologies – The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

I Hate Exercise – The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

woman in a garden with arms outstretched kneeling down in a yoga pose.

I Hate Exercise I hate exercise. This morning I got up, ate my usual breakfast of five tablets and started doing yoga. I do it first. (Well, I visit the bathroom. Too much information?!) I have to do it first else I won’t do it.  There I was, trying to copy the exceedingly bendy woman … Read more I Hate Exercise – The Living With Parkinson’s Blog

Underlying Health Conditions

“Underlying Health Conditions” The Living With Parkinson’s Blog Well it’s certainly been a strange few days here in New Zealand. What a blast I had over the weekend of the 7th – 10th August. It was my birthday, and I’d promised Miss Twin 10 that I’d spend it in the snow with her for years … Read more Underlying Health Conditions

Karate For The Win

The Living With Parkinson’s Blog Karate ticks a lot of boxes I started learning Shotokan Karate with the awesome people at Kapiti Karate without any intention of doing something to help improve my movement. I just thought I would give it a try as an activity I could do with my eldest child who was … Read more Karate For The Win