Fab-yule-ous 🎄

Where Emma does gratitude

Hello, you delightful lot! This is the final message until the New Year. Thank you for all your support and love & giggles in 2024. Love you.

As the year edges toward its grand finale, I’ve been reflecting on what Who Stole My Dopamine? has become—and it’s all thanks to you.

You’ve turned this little corner of the internet into a sanctuary where we can laugh, rant and swear at the ridiculousness of living with Parkinson’s.

When I started this, I thought, “Maybe a few people will read this and nod along.” But you, my hilarious, heart-filled readers, have surpassed every expectation. Your comments, emails and shared experiences are the highlight of my year.

This year, we’ve tackled some big questions, like:

- Why does motivation vanish faster than a toddler with a stolen biscuit?

- Do we need a guidebook for adulting, or is wine sufficient?

- And why, oh why, do clothes fight back when you most need them to cooperate?

We’ve commiserated over apathy’s stranglehold, celebrated tiny victories (remember the joy of one good buttoning-up session?), and shared the best “What happens when I’m gone?” prep tips—because nothing says, “I love you,” like sorting your funeral arrangements early.

Through it all, you’ve shown me that Parkinson’s might try to steal our dopamine, but it can’t take our humour, grit, or ability to laugh in the face of the absurd.

Some days, Parkinson’s is like a shitty housemate who rearranges your furniture just for laughs. It forces us to adapt, rethink and occasionally swear at shoelaces. But you’ve reminded me that, even on the hardest days, there’s space for joy. Sometimes it’s in the form of a bad joke, a good cry, or a particularly satisfying moment of rebellion against the illness.

Your stories and support have made me feel less alone in this fight. Together, we’ve built a community that celebrates every stumble (literal and metaphorical) and refuses to let the disease define us.

As we shuffle into another year, I’ll no doubt keep sharing this journey with you. There’s more to explore, more to laugh about, and definitely more wine to drink. If Parkinson’s thinks it’s beaten us, it hasn’t met you guys.

So here’s to another year of resilience, rants, and ridiculousness. Thank you for being here, for reading, and for reminding me that this journey—though not what any of us would’ve chosen—can still be full of connection and humour.

With love, gratitude and a shaky wave,

Emma

P.S. What was your highlight of the year? Share it in the comments or hit reply xxxx