You see, on November 19th, 2014, I would officially be diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson's Disease. And with it, embark on a journey that currently sees me here, "celebrating" World Parkinsons Day.
It's not really a celebration. My left side doesn't agree with me. That much anymore. My left foot, at times, curls up into a claw, digging itself into the top of my shoe. My left knee locks in place, slowing my once powerful running stride to the point of which I often have to stop walking after 10 min just to give my body time to loosen up.
My left hand, well if it's not shaking like the San Andreas fault line(that's right kids, San Andreas is more than a video game or a movie with The Rock, is the reason building another in California is a nightmare.), my fingers are locked more solid than the recipe for my families iced tea. That's never getting out again, I can assure you.
My arm, sometimes locks out, violently at the elbow, like a flag catching a strong wind gust. I'm waiting for it to dislocate, because, hey, 6 total dislocations is a round number and I like symmetry.
The symptoms I didn't know about have reared their ugly side as well. My speech, never something I over thought about has been compromised. Now fast and low, I went from co-hosting a podcast to being fearful of saying more than hello sometimes. That, however is being slowly but surely rectified by the supremely talented Dr.'s Bradley Hoff and Brittany Palmer at Mount Sinai Union Square.
Mount Sinai. I don't know where I'd be without them. From my first neurologists, Dr. Servert and Dr. Deegan, to my rocks, Dr. Katherine Leaver and Dr. Joan Miravette...
These people are my ride or die. They're my Justice League, my Rebel Alliance, my Olympic Team. Think of a great historic group of individuals, real or fake. My team beats them. Through& through. Hands down, my team will come out on top. Give them a second, they're good. Give em an hour, they're unbeatable.
When I think of unbeatable teams I also have to look to Samantha Scicchigno and my physical therapy team at Jag physical therapy.
Sam has been stalwart with fixing me when broken, which happens more often than not. I'm fairly sure there's only one other human who she interacts with me than me, and frankly, only one other human can likely understand just how kind she is to her lil Red Dog. His luck at finding her for his human is something more special than words. Her love for that pooch is something I wish you could all find.
Her other teammates, like Sam"the Sequel" Perez (who is hopefully celebrating a very happy birthday today.),Teresa Laverie, who assures me, I'll one day grow to be a Swiftie.
To the team of aides who are loyal beyond words, like Joe Rizzo, who I'll now always call,"Captain America" (hey, his arms make me feel safe, ok?), to Terry Adams, who reminds me of a young me, if life had gone right for me.
The many others, Paul(who somehow made my shoes work... Probably the socks.), Gino and Andrew, Mikhael, Dave and Kasia. Andrew, Mike, Chris and Chris and Jess, and Justin and Chelsea and Joe. Dan & Ebenezer, Ali & Dan again. You're dynamo's.
And where would I be without the front desk? Aqsa, stoic and whip smart, who's random knowledge is second only to mine, and will sadly soon depart for a future of lifesaving... Chyna who knows how to really fix the Millennium Falcons Hyperdrive(with Reese's.), to the absolute heart of gold, total basket of sunshine Danielle, who always makes time for my weather reports.
Nicole and Farrah, Melissa& Ebony. You're still missed.
It's a cast of literal hundreds that has saved me, picked me up from my falls, both literal& actual, that is the reason I'm still here. Too many to name, but everlasting in my mind and soul.
Perhaps it's a stroke of luck that Parkinson's has put me on their orbit.
While on the topic of orbit...it would be unkind of me to not recognize the parallel in my team and that of the 4 Legends who returned to earth last evening. Christina, Victor, Jeremy and Reid - our newly minted, "Emotional Support Astronauts", you'll never see this, but enthralling was the only thing I could say as I watched, with the world, as you showed us what dreams are like, when made real. Thank you.
It's people like these who give me the strength to push on. And people like Jessie Graff and Lindsey Vonn, who push their bodies and minds-that also make the impossible seem within reach.
Sure they may be waking a path far different from mine, but the message they put out there through their own struggles is the same: hard work is great, but you'll get no where without sheer, unfiltered willpower. Those two women have a grit and inner fire I could only dream of. But for once, I'm not going to dream. I'm going to use them as inspiration.
I'm not not going to be an Olympic skier, and I don't think my elbows would hold up to a Ninja Warrior course, but that doesn't mean I can't become a better version of myself.
Watching these two women punch through injury after injury, refusing to stay down when pushed, its easy to say it's inspiring, but it's another thing to act upon it. And that's what I'm gonna try to do.
Parkinson's means there's no definite path. It's tough and uncertain, but one thing I'm sure of, is that, I have to try. After all, I have Parkinson's, it doesn't have me.