It was 29 May 2020 when I heard the words spoken out loud "You have Parkinson's".
That is what I heard, even if they were not the exact words that were spoken.
Realisation. Reality.
It was now official. No ifs, buts or maybes. Confirmed.
My name is Stuart Robertson and I have been diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's Disease.
So... time to get some things down on (virtual) paper.
1. It is what it is and I accept that I have this for life.
2. I am not here for sympathy, just clarification of my situation and to promote awareness of Parkinson's.
3. This is a personal blog to help me track my progress / regress
4. I hope that I can use this platform to keep family, friends and colleagues up to date with where I am at.
5. If you have anything to add by way of resources / links and helpful experiences please drop me a line.
6. This disease affects brain controlling muscle movement - my thinking is still as sharp as ever.
7. I have Parkinson's but Parkinson's doesn't have me
That's it in a nutshell - you are all welcome to follow along and see where this particular road leads me.
And an acknowledgment to my late friend and colleague Gary Taiaroa who let us tag along through his illness and opened my eyes to how getting it out there is so important in reconciling life and the cards we are dealt, and in doing so has prompted me to take this approach too.
The road ahead is still a little unclear..... but I will walk it one foot after the other.
