Gym & Tonic...🍸💪🏻

Where Emma attempts exercise

Gosh! Double gosh! So many new faces around here - hi. Delighted you could join I’ll try not to be too…ummm me.

OK so I tried but I lied.

I haven’t been to the gym.

Well, I have and I haven’t. It’s complicated.

I have a gym membership and the gym has a pool, I love swimming. And I know the need for exercise in Parkinson’s. I have been active most of my life and fit most of my life. I like sport and exercise. Essentially there are no blocks to my desire to be using the gym.

I was managing in April and May. But then something happened and I just don’t have it in me. Ok my wrist has been a factor but I was advised that gentle swimming wasn’t going to be problematic. R goes daily and that just makes me feel worse about not going. We don’t have much financial leeway so that also makes me feel awful. I feel sore and stiff, I know exercise would help, so that is arse.

I really want to blame it on apathy and Parky stuff but I have to admit that is something much deeper.

It’s about my inability to accept care, especially self care. I don’t really ever give myself permission to relax or rest or do all the things that will make me feel better.

My idea of self care is tied up in doing everything for everyone else. What. A. Fucking. Martyr.

Doesn’t it make you sick? Makes me sick. Quite literally. Having my habitual glass of wine is the only self-care permission I willing to concede. ‘Cos that’s healthy, Emma.

All my decluttering and writing and arting recently is pure avoidance on the exercise/self care issue. Let’s see what other projects I can ram my time with to sidestep looking after myself. Oooh look, let’s learn Italian, ukulele…

You know, sometimes it doesn’t matter if you have a chronic illness or not, sometimes it is all about our unique peculiar quirks getting in our way. The problem is we can’t afford it. The luxury of biding our time isn’t available to us. We have to grab a sliver of hope before any chance at wellness disappears in the void of disease.

What to do?

Other than moan to you guys, I could try being nice to myself…

hahahah.

hahahah.

But seriously, I do *know* I have a lot on my plate. I know I take on too much, I know I am paralysed with fear of not being able to do things in the future. I know all of it and yet. Yet, I still struggle at nearly 50 to be kind to myself.

I’d love your thoughts and strategies on self care and kindness.

with love

E x

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Parkinson’s Good News

Here’s a piece of brilliance from Carl (Spotlight YOPD)

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Charity Art Print

This incredible Glasgow based charity provides the all essential human caring touch to people from all over the world who are under threat.

Refuweegee (re-fu-wee-gee) is a community-led charity that gives people a way to welcome and embrace those newest to arrive. We strive to ensure that people who have been forced to flee their homes arrive in Scotland to a warm welcome and some of the things that will help them to feel more at home here.¹

This digital painting of a paper boat represents the struggles and dangers that refugees face. I hope that the light can not only be safely guided to shore but be sure of a kind welcome and a place to call home.

You can print this at home or use a print on demand service. I will donate 100% profit to Refuweegee.

watermark will be removed on purchase

1. Or donate directly here.