PD Praise

Michael J. Fox.  Muhammad Ali.  George Wallace.  Vincent Price.  Pope John Paul II.  Janet Reno.  Hummmmm…..  What do all these folks have in common?  They all have Parkinson’s Disease.  And, so does my husband, Dan Hott.

Parkinson’s Disease, or “PD”, is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that impairs motor skills. Belonging to a group of  movement disorders, PD is a chronic illness for which there is no cure.  Symptoms of PD are characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing and eventual loss of physical movement.

Since this crazy thing called Parkinson’s moved in with us the summer of 2008, this 47-year-old-grey-haired-hott-mama-of-four has had countless conversations with God concerning this topic.  So much of my prayer time is centered on trying to understand it all, I sometimes worry that I might be giving God a headache.

Do you know what I mean?  Sometimes, I feel like a pest.  You know?  Like when your children ask over and over for something.  It reminds me of the millionth time Isaac wants me to watch a Beyblade video on youtube, or the 100th time that Levi wants me to play Ninja’s…again, or the 27^th time Violet needs her lunch packed when we are already late for school!

For the most part, you know, I am normally pretty calm and collected while juggling the many requests from the Hott children.  I can multitask just about like any other mom out there, I think.  But sometimes, my head will spin; and well, about once a month (yes, mostly around that time) I can get one huge headache!  Does this happen to you?

With plentiful prayers spent on PD, I just gotta wonder if God gets a headache with all my whining.  Blah! Blah! Blah! Right?  “God, please help us.”  “God, please help our young children understand their Daddy’s illness.”  “God, please give me strength for my kids and for my husband.”  “God, how will we afford to live on disability?”  “God, what will I do as the symptoms advance?”  “God, please help Dan’s pain…”  “God, please don’t let Dan fall again.”  “God, why Parkinson’s Disease?  Why now?…why?”  “God…  God…God!”

Are You listening to me?

Yes.  This whole experience with PD has made me feel so many things.  At my daughter’s suggestion, I began to blog about life with PD.  I have been sad, angry, scared, and upset.  But you know what?  I have also been joyous, grateful, overcome, and complete – all at once.  Does that make sense?

For all the beating God has endured from me over PD,  He has taught me to recognize his blessings in a whole new world, to appreciate what we have right now.  And, for as much as I fear waking up tomorrow or twenty years of tomorrows and finding Dan frozen with Parkinson’s, today I want to praise God for it all; because, this week we celebrated our fourth year appointment in the research program at the Neurology Department of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD.  Four Years.

After evaluating Dan’s response to his meds and performing a complete examination, want to know what the doctor said to Dan?

“You look great!”

Yeah… I think he looks pretty great too!  (Well, actually, I think he looks “hott” – but don’t tell God I said that!  LOL!)

Praise God!  Even for PD.

“Praise the Lord.  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.  Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.  Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.  Let everything that had breath praise the Lord.”  – Psalm 150: 1-6

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