My situation, not who I am

As I enter the world of blogs, Facebook, Twitter, trying all forms of social media to champion the cause of Parkinson's and anybody who has a situation where movement can help, I begin to get this feeling that my identity and my situation (not to be confused with anyone on Jersey Shore) were starting to be one and the same. Parkinson's is my cause. As for us and anyone else with a currently incurable (I am optimistic about a cure) disease, all we can do is handle our situation. I think people start to believe that their particular hardship or bad situation is what they have become, their new identity. I do not want to be known as "Parkinson's Pat". Wait, that does have a ring to it.... but no, that's not me! I never find myself saying, "that's Michael J. Fox, the Parkinson's sufferer and actor." I think, "that's Michael J Fox, the actor who has Parkinson's." When I think of Mohammed Ali, I think, "boxer who has Parkinson's," and by the way, God bless Mohammed and Michael for being champions of our cause. Their illness and mine is simply a situation. PD is now just part of my daily routine, like playing video games and not doing the dishes. How we deal with our PD or other situations define what kind of people we are. Do not become your situation. Be yourself and handle your situation. And if you write your own blog, try not to use the word situation so much.....Get a hobby, take a class, go for a walk if you can. Do everything you can to live, don't exist!! Keep moving Parky warriors.

I'm Patrick Younts and I move to live.