Re: Blueberries and PD

["(Martha Rohrer)" <mrohrer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

We don't find blueberries growing wild out here on the west coast, but we do 
have tasty wild
huckleberries growing in coastal forests and dunes. In the past we've enjoyed 
them while keeping
a wary eye out for that other afficianado, the brown bear. I've made some tasty 
huckleberry jam
for tne next day's breakfast pancakes while camping in the Oregon dunes in 
those good old days
BP(Before Parkinsons.)

Lately, I've been trying to persuade my husband to take a trip, but he responds 
with all kinds
of worries that he insists would prevent it. Such worries as how he would get 
to the bathroom,
turn in bed without his trapeze, etc., etc., and the biggest worry of all, how 
to manage to eat
in a public place without offending other diners with his inability to get food 
from plate to
mouth without spillage. All those can be solved or managed, but he is 
unpersuaded. Perhaps
the anticipation of re-living some part of those good old days will soothe 
those fears and
replace them with happy anticipation. I'll give it a try.

Now as his PD worsens, we,vlike so many others who share our life with PD, stay 
home, see no one
but family, and live a very encapsulated life, where a major event is a trip to 
a doctor. This
is bad for the neuron connections in the brain for both of us. I have noticed 
he does much
better when we have company, even if is is just family. I am sure the stimulus 
of travel will
compensate for the physical problems that he worries about. Maybe a reminder of 
the good old
days on the trail of the huckleberry will help.

Martha  (CG for Neal, 79/14)
mrohrer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx