My blogger friends

What has Parkinson's given me? It is currently an incurable disease, but there are great people working on that. So what gift could I receive or what possible good could come from PD? First, you see the quality of your friends; the support and love they give you in your time of need. It’s very easy to be a friend in good times. It doesn’t take much effort, but when the chips are down and you need help and support, a friendship can be tested. I have been very blessed with the friends I have! Friends and family are part of the many different communities we belong to.

One good thing that has come out of PD is that my community has expanded by an incredible group of bloggers who have chosen to battle this disease through their inspirational writing. I think that most of my fellow Parkie bloggers will tell you that you don't know who is reading your blog. When you first put it up, friends and family are there to support it. Sure that's how we got to be searchable on the web and get it out to the Parkinson's community. There I was feeling like those guys at NASA sending out signals into outer space hoping to get a response back. I have never written anything before so my other fear was that I was going to be like those guys in the fishing boat drinking beer that the aliens always find and decide to contact. Immediately after a conversation with them, Bubba enlightens our alien friends that our world is doing great because of a TV program called Bassmasters. Was I going to be the Bubba of the blogging universe feeling that higher life forms have passed me by? I was so excited when I first received a comment posted by a fellow Parkie on one of my posts. I instantly felt less alone dealing with PD. It was validation.

Since then my PD blogger community has expanded. We find each other through this wonderful social media, brought together by our common challenge. There is intelligent life out there and they are called bloggers; a community of people getting the message out to the PD world that you are not alone and there is hope. We strike out at PD with every stroke of our keyboards. We lift the spirits of someone who suffers, whose hope was rekindled by the words of a blogger they never met. At the same time it makes us feel that even with our PD, we are viable and we will not go quietly into that good night! We can make a difference. What we all do counts!

On my blog are links to bloggers who have so generously taken the time to read my posts and respond to them. Please take the time to read their wonderful blogs. A special thanks to kj who writes 12 Paws and Frogs. She is a very special person who truly shows us what grace is even with PD and a father who is going through his own battle with cancer. kj reflects joy and positivity in her writings. Thank you, kj!

To all my friends who read my blog, I can’t thank you enough!!! Okay, Parkie bloggers, hit those keyboards. There are people who are counting on us!

P.S. - To all the fine people out late at night who are fishing on boats, the next time you make contact with extraterrestrials stop showing them that 8 pounder you caught and using the words "ain't she a beaut". Please tell them to stick around. We sure could use the help....Okay, got to go. Bassmasters is coming on.

I'm Pat Younts and I move to live.