Parkinson’s disease: Three steps forwards and two steps back

Parkinson’s disease: Three steps forwards and two steps back

Old man walking (Photo by Safa Baku0131rcu0131 on Pexels.com)

When I was a student, I met a male nurse walking a patient with Parkinson’s disease to the toilet.

“He is taking ages at the rate he is walking! It’s like taking three steps forward and two steps backward! I told him it would be faster for him to use a urinal on his bed!” Mr. Lee kept quiet at that remark. His mask-like face showed no expression. With a flexed body, he shuffled in a frustratingly slow, yet festinating gait. His thumb and forefinger rubbed in a pin-rolling tremor.

He never wet because he would request to go to the toilet earlier to avoid losing control of his bladder.

A senior walking pass, “Mr. Lee, I see you are walking and exercising. Very good, keep it up!”

Later the senior called a few of us aside, “be careful what you say! For a headmaster, to lose control over his movements can be a depressing condition. He may keep quiet, but he is sharp. He understood what you said! We need to treat patients with dignity and respect!”

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Not long ago, I met a male retired banker in a pottery class with me.

“I have Parkinson’s disease. That’s why I am here!” He was trying to slow down the progression of motor disability. And he was very creative and tidy in his pottery work!

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Research and management of people with Parkinson’s disease have improved a lot since.

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pottery work (Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com)