Come out and meet Parkinson’s Orange County’s new Executive Director, Erin Angelo, and the POC Board of Directors. We are meeting at The Stand in Tustin on Sunday afternoon, March 24th. While you are there, order up some lunch and show them this flyer and The Stand will donate 25% of the sale to Parkinson’s OC. The fundraiser goes all day from 11am-9pm so encourage your family and friends to come out and support Parkinson’s OC. The Stand in Tustin is located at 13205 Jamboree.
Women with Parkinson’s have unique needs and this is a great place to chat about them. Meetings are the second Wednesday of each month at 11:30 Pacific Time. All women with Parkinson’s who are Rogue members are welcome to join the monthly meetings. If you are not a member of Rogue and interested in joining the meetings, email Julia for more information ([email protected]).
Meetings are held on third Tuesday of each month at 2:00.
For residents of Leisure World and their care partners only.
Location
Leisure World Optum Conference Center 1661 Golden Rain Road Seal Beach, CA 90740
16052 Beach Blvd
Seal Beach, CA.
Sponsored by BrightStar Care.
For more information, contact Becky Kohl at 562-485-7982 or [email protected]
by Sage Bennett
I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, PD, five years ago around Valentine’s Day. I am still coming to terms with what that means. Each day is a little excursion into the question: how can I live well with PD?
Before taking meds and exercising daily, I experienced limitations I do not have today. Shortly after diagnosis, I decided to swim a few laps after a water aerobics class. To my chagrin, instead of swimming without effort as I had done since childhood, I was a tangle of arms and legs awkwardly trying to coordinate a swimming stroke. It was as if my brain had forgotten how to swim. 
As I kept trying to swim, I breathed in water instead of air and coughed my way out of the pool, dejected and embarrassed.
Soon after I heeded my doctor’s advice: “Try this medication and follow these three best practices-- Exercise. Exercise. Exercise.” This prescription and the support of others in the PD community have helped me live more fully. Yesterday I enjoyed 45 minutes of carefree swimming. Even though the outside air was chilly the water was warm as I glided back and forth from one end of the pool to the other in effortless strokes of crawl, side, and then back stroke. I swam past pine trees on the left, palm trees on the right. Overhead a baby, blue sky held cumulus puffs of white. A brushstroke of long strands of cirrus clouds swept across the sky, as a rainbow of blue, green, and purple faintly appeared in its center, then disappeared. In the water my movements are fluid. Feeling at one with clouds, sky, and trees, I am grateful for these moments --and living well with PD.
Bio
Sage Bennet, Ph.D lives in Laguna Woods with her wife, Sandy, and their two dogs, Chloe and Freddy. She teaches philosophy and world religions online and is the author of Wisdom Walk: Nine Practices for Creating Peace and Balance from the World’s Spiritual Traditions.
By Lauren Simmons and Tom Sheppard
We did it! We made it through 2020, and a new year has finally come. The beginning of the year is traditionally a time for resolutions, to set new goals, and form new habits. Given the last nine months, we think it might be time to go back to the basics. I often hear people say that they are going to make changes "one day." Let's turn it around and make those changes on DAY ONE.
Think SMART when making your resolutions. The SMART tool for meeting a resolution helps in doing the things needed to better our Parkinson's lives. Here are some tips for setting yourself up for success:
Make your resolution SPECIFIC instead of general:
General: "I'm going to be more social."
SPECIFIC: "I'm going to call a friend two times a week." 
Answer your what, when, why, who, and where questions.
Make it MEASURABLE. The result has to be measured.
How do you keep track of your progress and know you have arrived?
Make your goal ACHIEVABLE. Working up to walking a few miles a day may be more attainable than planning to run a marathon by June. If you are already exercising, think about what you can do to step it up a notch. Think realistically about what your situation is right now, and then challenge yourself.
Is it RELEVANT? As a person with Parkinson's, what is relevant to maintaining our best health? What is important to you, and is this the right time?
TIME: set an "I did it" date.
Make a schedule. A schedule will help you make that target date. Are you planning to exercise three times a week? Choose the days and times and put them on your calendar. Want to learn a new skill? Mark off time on your calendar specifically for that activity.
START MOVING - IT'S DAY ONE
by Tom Sheppard
This took on real meaning for me a few days ago:
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. In the early stages, Melanoma can be treated successfully with surgery alone, and survival rates are high, but after metastasis, survival rates drop significantly. Therefore, early and correct diagnosis is key for ensuring patients have the best possible prognosis. (From Cancer Biology and Therapy Journal)
During a routine skin check, my dermatologist said there was a spot that she wanted to biopsy. Fine, I have heard that before and it was never a problem. A few days later, I got the get the call. The dermatologist said, “The results of the biopsy I did last week on your shoulder are back. I have good news and bad news. The bad news is, you have Melanoma, but the good news is, it is very small and we have discovered it early.”
The bad news was apparent to me, but the good not so much. After some research, the good news started to sound better. She caught it early and expected no more problems with that area. However, other spots could show up. The prescription for that is a skin check every three months.
A couple of days ago, I had surgery to remove the Melanoma. It was routine and took about an hour. The aftermath of the surgery is NO EXERCISE for two weeks. It was pretty clear that no compromise was forthcoming.
Studies suggest there might be a connection between Parkinson’s Disease and Melanoma. My dermatologist said there have been more melanoma cases in her office since the pandemic started in March. Her colleagues are reporting the same. She isn’t sure why. Also, she is seeing an increasing diagnosis of Melanoma in her Parkinson’s patients.
Don’t count on your internist for a full head to toe skin check. The dermatologist I go to is very thorough. It’s a hide and seek
game and you want somebody trained in the field. I am asking you to make that skin check appointment now and keep it.
This is not the report I wanted to see but I would rather see it now than a year from now.
MAKE THE APPOINTMENT – SEE THE DOC
by Lauren Simmons
We are now into month five of Covid related lockdowns and restrictions. How are you doing with it? The doctors and scientists tell us to stay home to stay safe but we have also been taught that socialization and new activities are good for our brain, so what are we to do? Unfortunately, Parkinson's doesn't stop just because we are stuck at home. We still need to keep our bodies and brains active.
So what have been your biggest challenges during quarantine? Are you getting enough exercise? Missing hugs from grandchildren and friends? Did you have to cancel summer travel plans? This is definitely a 
challenging time and it may continue for a while so we need to do something to stay well physically, mentally, and socially. We challenge you to add one new activity this month. (We dare you to try two). Try a new online exercise class, or learn a new skill like painting or knitting. There are a multitude of instructional videos online. Maybe you can join an online bookclub or cook a new recipe each week. How about schedule an hour a day to walk a new trail or in a new park? You could learn a new card game. You can even play card games online. Maybe you could play them with those grandchildren you are missing.
Check out some of the ideas below. When you talk to friends and they ask what you have been up to, dazzle them with your new interests and impress them with your enthusiasm. You can do this! Join us in stepping outside our comfort zone. Take the challenge! Don't forget to let us know what you are doing. Maybe some of us would like to try the same thing that you are trying. You can comment below or let us know on our Facebook page. Let's leave that comfort zone behind and get started.
Join Tremble Clefs Singing Group
