Moving House

This  is the calm before the storm. There are only three weeks to go  before the big pack and shift . You can imagine the amount of stuff that we have acquired over 30 years and how hard it is to separate ourselves from it. 

Today is our inorganic collection so I have taken the opportunity to get rid of a few things like a drier that doesn't switch itself off when it has done its job and household equipment, broken or surplus to requirements.  

For the past few days we  have been going through envelopes and envelopes of old photos which have evoked not a few memories of holidays gone by ( and created more mess on the coffee table). Most have ended up in the paperchase as we also have  albums and albums capturing holidays  of the pre-digital era.

Gave away my embroidery threads, tapestry canvas and yarns recently to an enthusiastic friend but fear the rest of the downsizing will have to wait.  Another friend helped  me make a start on packing the china   and glassware with the result that one cabinet is empty.  The rest I will  leave for the 3 packers in their 8 hours here on the 20th and concentrate on putting away things on top of cabinets and chests of drawers so they can be moved.  

They say shifting is one of the major stressors of life and I can well believe it.  Our last move over 30 years ago was across the street and down a bit, this time it is up the street, along the road a bit and to a small sunny street.  Our remodelled and restored house is no 4, on the flat and close to the bus stop, cafes and our favourite Italian restaurant.  It is sunny, faces north and there is a park, a pétanque club and the beach not far away down the end of the street. 

It feels good to move before it is absolutely imperative to do so. Watch this space.

Falling

Seeing I have had 3 falls in as many months I felt it was worth my while to go to a talk by a woman from the Accident Compensation Commission  yesterday.  There is always something new to learn or be reminded of stuff you know.  Like decluttering, making sure mats are stuck down or not curling up at their corners

I like my mats and rugs especially the two Oriental ones that are at present rolled up seeing as there is nowhere big enough for them which says rather a lot about my clutter.  Mind you it is not all mine.  

With our imminent shift to Herne Bay there is a bit of stuff waiting a decision.  I like the idea of finding a new home for things but if one can't be found then it will come with us towards the end of June.

This beautiful beaded cardigan that belonged to my mother and which I wore too on special occasions has found a new wardrobe. I will take it up to to Lucy who  works on Ponsonby Rd  this morning who is looking forward to owning and wearing it.

World Parkinson's Day

Yesterday was World Parkinson's Day and there was a public lecture in Aucklamd as in every year.  It was on swallowing and voice changes so I went to that and learnt how vital the vocal chords are for things. Keeping the air passage and lungs separate and free of food and free to do their job of breathing and keeping a person alive! Then comes talking and I suppose singing. So very important to keep them functioning.

Having had a cold and cough and lost most of my voice for the last 2 weeks I realise how important it is to keep healthy in this part of the body.  We need our voices to communicate, socialise, thrive, really, in a world that for us can get smaller and smaller if we don't watch out.

Being sick with Parkinson's

I seem to have picked up a cough and a cold after a lovely few days at Orewa and  probably should have done more than wait for it to go away.  Ten days later the vestiges of it are still there.  There are medications that don't agree with the Parkinson's ones and I was very cautious about not taking any of  the cough mixtures that E had lying around the house.  In the end I did try one strawberry-flavoured one which was probably suitable for children  and wouldn't interact and cause whatever dire consequences those with ephedrine, I think it was, had in it.  

So had a woeful week at home and had to cancel all sorts of activities and gatherings.  Thankfully D didn't come down with it. And E moved out over to Herne Bay for a couple of months while we plan and execute our move there ourselves.

I am the type of person that likes to do things gradually so I am carrying on decluttering .  This week it was the vintage luggage. 

This old La Mondiale suitcase cum cabin trunk belonged to my mother and probably dated back to her arrival in NZ in 1939. It sold the same day I listed it.  Going to somebody who refurbishes vintage luggage and then resells it.  

This is a Rotorua Steel Trunk which I did give a coat of metal paint to about 20 years ago.  It sat in the front porch  for a while but it might as well go to a new home too.

I love the deco lining of this old hat box of my mother's.

Maybe I will keep the two of them and put a few of my favourite things in them and display them somewhere in the new house, somewhere where I won't trip over them though! 

Taking Charge

The year's activities with the local Parkinson's community has resumed for me with  visits to a women's coffee morning last week and a speech language meeting with good practical reminders on taking charge of our lives this week.

Th coffee morning got off to a late start for me because I left home too late to get there and got caught up in the traffic which crawled along .  The buses were late, missed every light and I ended up missing two trains arriving half an hour late.

Comforted myself with a flat white " extra hot"  (one of these days I will burn my mouth) on arrival.   It was good to see the smiling faces of the others and I soon regained my equilibrium after that bad start.

I asked them if any of them had shifted to make life easier with Parkinson's and all of them had and had their tales  to tell what a big job it was.  I seem to remember something about labelling and colour coding cartons. But they certainly,didn't have any horror stories which was good.

 In the meantime  I will press on with the downsizing on Trademe .  Trouble is I only sell two or three things a week and sometimes they are small things like the fountain pens I sold this week. I will have to get some other ideas from my friends.  I suppose I could go back to the strategy of if I haven't used or worn something for a year I could discard those things.  Along with listing things I know others might buy because I like them myself.

Like the vase I sold last week.  It belonged to my mother and I seem to remember there were two of them one for each side of the wall.  That was a wrench but mine went to a lovely lady who said she bought a similar one the week before and it arrived in the post in shards. Hope mine arrived safely. I think she would have said if it hadn't.

The speech language therapist who is always good  value with her practical and down-to-earth presentations with lots of tips on taking charge of our lives and the progression of it in tandem with an illness.  Apathy being one of the consequences of dopamine loss does make it a little harder.

We started the session with a little exercise which people sometimes have to do as an icebreaker at other gatherings. This is introducing the person next to us and saying where they were born. So only two things but she said to make the introduction loud and clear.

I thought I would add a bit and say he was born in a local maternity home  which were quite common in those days but instead what came out was that he was born in a rest home and of course everybody laughed.  And I hadn't even realised why and that I had said that. Pride comes before a fall.

It is a very supportive group of people and I laughed too when it was pointed out what I had said. Laughter is the best medicine. No not the best medicine but one that keeps us buoyant. Another thing that makes me happy , and hopefully others too are warm fuzzies, things we can,do for ourselves or others that nurture. I seem to remember five in a day are good for one.

After the coffee morning, I bought myself and the friend who gave me a lift home a colourful gardening bag to keep trowel and gardening gloves in, and the latest issue of one of my favourite magazines,  NZ house  and garden.

 

Fall

Had a fall last week which was the straw that broke the camel's back for the rest of the week it seemed, being doubly hard coping with the summer heat and the embarrassment of a grazed and bloodied face.

It happened while we were away for the weekend on the island and outside on the footpath which was a bit uneven .  Where one section joined the other there was a higher bit and with the way I shuffle at times I tripped and ended up face on the footpath, arms and legs spread eagled like a starfish.

Thankfully no broken bones and the face was not too bad. Finally got to the Whitecross a day later and got my knee dressed and a tetanus injection. I was told just to keep my face clean with warm water, no ointment, plaster or  antiseptic. Don't put anything on your face that you wouldn't put in your eye.

There are midday tides this weekend and I am hoping to brave the beach briefly and have a dip.  Not the island this weekend but maybe at Orewa on Sunday where there is a flat walk to the beach and just a few steps down to the sand.  

To be or not to be

This morning I wrote a submission to the Parliamentary Health Subcommittee who for the past few weeks have been holding an investigation into 'ending one's life in NZ'.

I had procrastinated but when Lecretia Seales who battled over the last weeks and days of her life to change the law allowing her doctor the dubious right to assist her in killing herself was named New Zealander of the Year by the NZ Herald I decided to have my say.

Here is what I wrote.

As a person suffering for the last 6 years  from an incurable illness (Parkinson's) and known for her zest for life and living, I wish to register my strong opposition to doctor-assisted suicide or euthanasia, or societal pressure brought to bear upon a person nearing the end of life, maybe.

There is enough medical treatment and hospice care available to those experiencing pain and distress in the last phase of life without an added perceived or not perceived pressure not to be a burden to one's nearest or dearest.

 

My friends are continually saying how much they admire me, and humble me and encourage me with their support.

I cannot think of anything more horrifying that having members of the medical and caring professions trying to persuade or suggest or mention ending one's life one's self with or without their help.

Already there is subtle suggestion of making a living will and I must have been asked on at least 4 or  5 occasions whether I have made one and what I want to happen and where and do I want lifesaving treatment etc etc.

It is upsetting and I hate it.  As it is doctors can prescribe alleviating medication which may by the by hasten death anyway and that in my opinion is enough.  

The Hippocratic oath takes care of the doctor's dilemma which makes it clear a doctor upholds life and cares for it, not hastens it from pressure by the actual patient or their relatives or those in society who seek to mould and shape public opinion.

Look what happened to Lecretia Seales - she battled for the right to have her doctor cleared to help kill her, yet she had the privilege of having merciful hospice care and died peacefully having it.

Please ensure the rest of us live to enjoy the same without being wary of those around us denying us it.

I am willing to appear before the Commission to have my views heard in person.

Food Glorious Food

Yesterday was the Parkinson's meeting  I went to in the hall adjoining the lovely old brick church of St Barnabas. I always make a point of going through the church to get to the hall and imbibe a bit of the prayerful atmosphere first.  It might be good for my raised blood pressure too.  

The topic was food and Parkinson's, making sure you get enough of the right kinds of food each day or at least over time to avoid losing weight, becoming weak and falling. Mostly though eating for health and pleasure, using brightly coloured herbs for seasoning and contrasting colours would be my suggestions to counteract the need for less salt and failing taste buds. Often people with Parkinson's report they have a weakened sense of smell too.

It is about getting protein at the right time of the day so that the medication gets through to the brain first. So at lunch time I have my cold meat, fish and/or egg  and in the evening too, keeping to just milk on my porridge or cereal in the morning. 

My blood pressure was up a bit recently so time to reduce the salt intake and try a bit of meditation/mindfulness / relaxed slow breathing to get,and keep it down, on demand as it were.

Time and the hour runs through the roughest day

I

This morning was one of those  mornings after one of those wakeful nights.  Had decided to do without the usual pill as I am usually tired anyway and blow me down I was awake 4 hours later for a good 3 hours.  I had read somewhere that those pills cause hallucinations.  I wouldn't like those. 

Anyway however took the morning slowly and did my marmalade grapefruit slicing. I got  the food processor out and sliced the grapefruit in that, then cleaned the food processor well in preparation for selling it. I don't think I won't make as much as in the past as my manual dexterity has waned somewhat, with Parkinson's making its presence felt in my right hand.  We have been buying different jams and enjoying black currant, apricot with ginger, mixed berry, honey and marmite after never buying  bought stuff. The taste buds are also on the wane so a variety is better, especially the piquant or tangy kind of taste sensations.  

To buoy the spirits further we went into  town for some lunch and a  concert in the library which was good - a school who have given good concerts each year.  Shouted myself some warm fuzzies and bought 2 DVDs of their performances.  

I started a library book , Family matters, by Rohan Mistry about an Indian man with PD who does everything (like moi) for his family, who find it all too much when the chips are down and he has an accident  and breaks his ankle and has to rely on them to toilet him with commode and bed pan and be looked after them.  

All too foreboding but I am engrossed in this book so will carry on with vicarious pleasure. It is actually quite funny image wry sort of way.  Have yet another new McCall Smith to pick up which will be light relief when I finish the other.

Wee wee wee all the way home ....

Recently at the gym we had a gynaecological urologist give a  talk to women of the Never2Old programme on continence issues facing many women as they age or deal with conditions that cause them. 

There are various things you can do from pelvic floor exercises, pills to surgery . Then there is also wearing continence undies to cope with the the odd untimely leaky embarrassment

Parkinson's unfortunately is one of those pesky conditions but I am not yet afflicted but wonder if the racy title black Confitex continence g-string that Eli gave me from his Fashion Week goody bag will be any good. How do I put it on? Perhaps I can wear it under my granny panties, pyjamas or nightdress and try it out! It's supposed to absorb up to 80 mls.  Fancy that! There are other more substantial versions in a pretty pink which I would probably  go for should or when the need arise. In the meantime I'll hang the g- string somewhere as a reminder to do those exercises.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Eli-Orzessek/news/article.cfm?a_id=1001&objectid=11503914

Blackadder Blackcurrants

I was listening to a science programme on the radio last night and heard this interesting research into the beneficial effects of eating black currants of or drinking the juice  from the New Zealand Blackadder cultivar of blackcurrant has on the health of people with Parkinson's.  Apparently it prevents the oxidising effect and the production of hydrogen peroxide in the brain  which destroys the dopamine which we need for good cognitive and mood health.

It is a pity black currants don't grow in the Auckland area.  I don't think it is cold enough for them and anyway that cultivar is not yet available on the market yet so frozen berries and juice from its berries is not available either.  So far its  effects have only been tested on healthy individuals not people already suffering from Parkinson's and depression. But there is hope for the future and in the meantime I will drink the blackcurrant juice available on the market.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/201767901/berry-good-news-for-the-brain

 http://www.plantandfood.co.nz/page/news/media-release/story/nz-blackcurrants-good-for-brain/

Chocolate and other Addictions

When I mislaid my two new cakes of Whitaker's Artisan chocolate I realised my penchant for a daily dose of chocolate was actually a little more than that. It carries me through the evening and takes the place of a dose of dopamine.  I have my last dose of Sinamet at 4pm so my body is ready for another boost of something and a bit of chocolate fills the need. 

I still have to find that chocolate but in the meantime E found this sweet substitute on the Internet which fills the bill, and is easy and fussfree to make  - no egg, no butter instead oil,cocoa and peanut butter as well as the usual pantry items. I can truly say it is delicious eaten straight out of the mug or with some Greek honey yoghurt for added calories.

http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/2013/02/chocolate-peanut-butter-mug-cake/

My other addiction at present is the computer game of Haste which involves competing with somebody else to make as many words out of a grid of letters in 90 seconds. I play this game several times a day in batches of 5 so I don't waste too much time. I like to win at least one game in each five and may even stop when I have, as I seem to get that feel-good feeling that comes with success! 

Haste by Lachlan T Potts

https://appsto.re/nz/9xUVU.i

Breathing

''Went to an interesting meeting yesterday of a small group of congenial people with Parkinson's.  It was in the hall of an old church in Mt Eden and the change of suburb, the old church, St Barnabas's,  and a lovely flowering cherry outside it gave me a boost too.

The guest speaker was a very pleasant respiratory physiotherapist, Janet Rowley,who trains or retrains people to breathe properly, through the nose of course, not the mouth.  Slow breaths in, slow slightly longer breaths out with a small pause before taking your next breath in.  So breathe in for 2, out for 3, then pause slightly.

The good news is the diaphragm is not affected particularly in Parkinson's  so it is possible to keep on taking those deep nose-to-tummy, breaths which are so beneficial to our well-being and equanimity.

Got off the bus in Symonds St and went for lunch at Gina's Italian restaurant which is known for its excellent Italian cucina.  I had the express lunch $12.50 special, a steaming hot plate of spaghetti pomadora with Parmesan which was most delicious, though possibly not the best choice for a person with Parkinson's.  However being the only person in the restaurant apart from the cook and the attentive Italian waiter it was not an issue

Dropsy

Last week was memorable for the fact that I dropped and broke 2 dinner plates while getting them out of the oven to warm up. No, they were not too hot and not laden with food.

Then I was under the house in the basement putting a jar away and next minute I lost my balance toppled over slightly but dropped the jar and voila! shards everywhere. Picked them up, some of them anyway and will do the rest when I go back down there and bring up one or other of the heaters that were cluttering the place up.

There was a third incident but I have forgotten what it was, and that like clumsiness is another symptom of Parkinson's.  

Oh yes it was my nice blue iPhone which now has an annoying chip one corner.

Then  DH fell in the night, tripping on the bedside mat or over his shoes which were near the bed.  Have decided we should both get into the habit of turning on a bedside light when we get up in the night. In this case there were thankfully no broken bones but bad bruising and copious bleeding from two wounds on one arm. He of course does not have Parkinson's but worries about me and the progression of it in me.  

I read recently in the Neurological Foundation's Report to members 2015 about some research being undertaken by Dr Rebekah Blakemore of the University of Otago, Christchurch who is investigating  the role of acute emotional stress in the impairment of motor behaviour in people with Parkinson's and the effect of effective state on precision-grip force control. "Understanding the impact of stress on motor behaviour may inform development of emotion-movement interventions to improve motor function in PD". 

Let's hope so because dropping things, tripping, being clumsy and holding things up in queues for  buses or supermarket shopping are other  stressors PWP can do without.

Book Launch

I don't often go out at night but I did last night and got the bus along to the Women's Book Shop on Ponsonby Rd .  It was the  launch of Ann Andrews's second book, Grandma's brain, with delightful illustrations by Sally Hollis-McLeod of Ann, her grandsons and even her husband, George, in the guise of neurologist.  

It is a picture book for young and old.  It arose out of questions her young grandsons had  about Ann's symptoms of Parkinson's and her clear and reassuring explanations for young and old.

World Voice Day in Auckland

Thursday was  World Voice Day and the Celebration Choir played a big part in the Auckland celebration.  New Zealand would have been the first country to celebrate the occasion being ahead of other countries by a number of hours depending where.

So,our usual Monday session was transferred to the Thursday, meaning I had an extra activity to fit in, with tai chi and meeting with the Knitterati beforehand. Managed to encourage Dieter to come out with me as visitors were welcome and anyway I think singing would be good for him too, indeed for anybody.  

Got the train, one of those new smooth-running  electric trains out .  The route goes parallel to the waterfront with the Waitemata Harbour on the left and the Orakei Basain on the right  and always exhilarates me on a fine day, which Thursday was. 

Autumn came with a vengeance earlier in the week and caught me unawares so it was good not to have to think too much about getting there and back without getting cold or wet. Feeling tired,hungry or thirsty can complicate things too but with a special afternoon tea this was not the case. Having Dieter there too was company for the journey there and trek home, on the bus this time , anything for  a change.

There was a bit of a festive atmosphere with a Skype link on a big screen to a group of music therapy students and their smiley professor at Victoria University.  There were four or five students and when they sang it sounded like 14.  They sang a special Maori waiata which had been commissioned for them. They seemed to be all international students and they sang several verses probably by heart.most impressive. We have Maori waiata in our repertoire too but I find I can't remember the words past the first line or two. It is much easier remembering words you know the meaning of. Not that I don't know some Maori words and what the songs are about after a while.

We did a few different things too in the way of warm-up exercises. After five  years in the choir I like a change rather than doing things the same old way.  We cottoned on very quickly I thought.

Wendy who works as an occupational therapist in a hospice and who used to come to our choir with another member and play the guitar  for us too, brought along a big box of musical instruments, like shakers, rattles, taught us a fun song with musical accompaniment to the tune of McNamara's Band.  I chose a kazoo which modifies the voice when hummed or vocalised into making a buzzing sound. 

Hearing this loud noise coming from me was quite a surprise.  It did not seem to be very tuneful to my ear and probably wasn't, but nobody told me to shut up. As Parkinson's progresses the voice does often tend to become quieter and I for one certainly don't like loud noise or music especially if it not to my taste. But that is another story. This,activity was fun and we all laughed a lot.

Of course singing or talking to oneself without having the chance to talk to others would be sad, so over a special afternoon tea there was time  for chit chat , socialising and catching up with new and old friends who,  like me, were there for the occasion. 

So all in all a very full and enjoyable day, culminating in a pleasant surprise, a visit from E , who is in the throes of moving back home for a couple of weeks or so, while major reconstruction of the Herne Bay abode gets underway.

Alison Holst

The news of the week is the grand old Dame of New Zealand cooking,  Dame Alison Holst, is retiring because she has developed dementia  and is no longer able to cook the way she has in the past due to increasing memory difficulties.  She has produced numerous recipe books , some with her son Simon, and a couple of generations of cooks, myself included, have made her recipes our own.

It is sad. But that is the cruel way of brain disease, neurological disorders, call them what you will.  People with Parkinson's fall prey to these problems too.  I forget things, I shouldn't. I won't tell you what but if you know me, you probably know what anyway!  It is out of sight, out of mind, just like that.  It helps if I have a good night's sleep and am feeling refreshed.  An early wakeful spell can cause tiredness and forgetfulness  later in the day.  I must remember that! And try and go back to sleep for a bit longer.

As for cooking I will fall back on my favourite Alison Holst cookbook , Simply delicious, which has simple mouth-watering recipes for family or friends.

Brain Day 2015

Today we went to Brain Day, an annual event I had been looking forward to. The Celebration Choir to which I belong was singing at a lunchtime session to show others what and why we do it. I arrived at the session to find myself in the middle of the front row as all the other seats were taken. A bit too conspicuous for my liking but I acquiesced and settled down. Our performance went down well and I enjoyed singing things ike You raise me up! Tried to catch Dieter's eye as I sang it with feeling, as he has been such a colossal help to me , and vice versa I like to think.  Another song of the Carpenters, Sing, sing a song I also sang with great gusto.  

The theme of this year's day was dementia it seemed, from cognitive brain impairment (CBI) to full-blown Alzheimer's, understanding it, dealing to it, treating it, coping with it.  

The first session I went to was Music and dance in dementia.  We all know how important such things as exercise are to keep one fit in body, mind and spirit and dance might be the next thing for me to try after listening and trying out some activities with balloons and simple arm and leg movements.  What fun! As Miranda would say.  The Centre for Brain Research is planning on setting up a dance group which I think might be fun for us to go to but Dieter doesn't want to take part in, being "a shy person". Pity, but if possible I will go for the two of us, cognitive changes in Parkinson's being quite common.  I also like trying new things, especially things I haven't tried for many many years.  I did a year's ballet as a very young child! 

Th next session was on managing pain in the older person, especially those with dementia .  There was two pain specialists from Norway , Bettina and Stein Hasebo who gave the presentation on their experience of seeing the effect of and managing chronic pain in the elderly, especially those with dementia.  The topic moved to end of life care for the frail elderly with dignity and informed and presumed consent to stop or maintain treatment and move to palliative care.  All very sobering and hopefully not a situation for either of us in the near future. The research shows that the things that are so important are one on one socialisation with significant others, regular  family visits, including and especially babies and young children, pet therapy with animals like dogs, the larger the better, they say! 

After that was the choir, as mentioned above.  Saw so many friendly people I knew all over the place and by the time we had some lunch was pretty tired so decided to call it a day and go home.  All in all a very stimulating and worthwhile day.

Early Morning Blues

Another dark quiet morning to wake up to.  I am refreshed after a good night's sleep and my early morning mug of tea , sipped from a lovely big Friesian  blue and white cup which D gave me some years ago.  It had a lid which I gave to a friend who  admired it  and was going to  use it to put on top of her bedside glass of water, and a saucer which now has a chip out of it and also a china insert for making tea with tea leaves. I might try it out with some feijoa tea I have.  I somehow think the tea is too fine not to flow into the mug with the water.  Will have to get out my trusty fine- meshed tea strainer as well. The thought of it is making my mouth water.

Fruity teas could well quench the thirst and ease the dry mouth discomfort I and other Parkinson's people sometimes experience.  Our taste buds get jaded too and some poor people lose more of them than others.  Mine are not too badly affected but I avail myself of the experience of stimulating my senses , smell included , by rubbing herbs like rosemary , basil, or lavender between my fingers as I pass them in my garden. 

I use them in cooking too as well as lots of parsley for colour.  I discovered  some self-sown dill in the garden yesterday which goes so well with broad beans in a white sauce.  I have some little bags of beans from last year in the freezer which I will now use.  It reminds me it is time  to sow broad bean seeds too for Spring now that Autumn is here.  

I heard recently at a meeting I went to that there are about 1000 taste buds in the mouth. In different parts of the mouth too. Hot food stimulates them and makes a meal more appetising. Slow eating sometimes means your meal gets cold and you don't feel like finishing it. Why not heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds.and have another go.

Finished my Monet jigsaw yesterday. It was a marathon effort and took about ten days to do off and on during the day. Will be able to use the dining room table again and have our evening meal in there now that it is not so hot with the westerly sun in the late afternoon. Will be using our impressionist table mats and Monet coasters  for a while to relive the experience.  

I remember the time we were in Rouen and saw rooms of Monet paintings in the museum there and visited the cathedral that features so often in his paintings.  Would be lovely to travel again after a three year hiatus.  It is,something we are working on realising.

Hard to Swallow perchance?

I always enjoy the informative sessions presented by a speech language therapist from Green Lane hospital every few weeks.  The last one was on that vital process of swallowing and the part the vocal chords play in shutting off the airway so you can swallow and not splutter.  This is another very good reason to keep talking and avoid having your vocal chords atrophy through lack of use.  There is always hope  - Use it and improve it works better than the threat  - Use it or lose it.  

I will have to keep up the loud talking, and singing  at the Celebration Choir because it is all interconnected with eating and swallowing. Decided to talk at mealtimes with D rather than listening to the radio.  It is easier to sit in companiable silence but better to keep up the conversation and the physiology.    

At that same meeting there was a stimulating presentation on exercise for  Parkinsons people. All about big and large movements not gentle stretching or small dainty steps.  Oh well.  I can practice those at the gym too.  

It was a very hot day and the bus home was late and crawled along Gillies Ave in the after school traffic. Just one of those things.

This photo was taken out the bus window coming over the Harbour Bridge recently. Good old Auckland. Made me feel good to be alive.