The Past Five Years
by Kay Cotton

May 2009

Next year, in October, it will be five years since I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at the age of 48.

I noticed this strange little twitch in the middle finger of my left hand, and having had a thyroid problem, thought it was something to do with that. I went to see the thyroid doctor again and a momentary look of horror passed across his face He sent me immediately to a neurologist and I began to wonder. The neurologist looked about 12 and I politely asked him for a second opinion when he said Parkinson's. I had been reading all the possibilities on line Apparently I had most of the symptoms and the top neurologist at the Indiana School of Medicine agreed. By this time I did not swing my left arm; problems turning left; slight limp on left side; tremor in left hand; slight droop to left side of mouth; masking; anxiety attacks; dyskenesia in open spaces; affected hand writing; quieter speech; and so on.

I found myself going through a divorce very quickly after this news, although my son, parents and friends have always been very supportive. The first two and a half years were in Indiana, USA, working full time and living alone. I thought I always had the notion to go back to England when my son graduated from university, however, the autumn before that my Father had a massive aneurism and survived it. At this point I knew I needed to get home to support my parents. By the new year, 2008, I was living with my parents again after 33 years and I felt relaxed and safe for the first time in a long time, like returning to the nest I expect.

I had trouble finding a job at the beginning. I had been a professor and designer, but the words Parkinson's Disease seemed to put people off or have them running to their insurers to see if I was a liability. Eventually finding a job in a care home, I was in my element taking care of people in much worse situations.

Kay

Cornwall, England

One day, when my father was looking more like his old self, we went down to Perranuthnoe in Cornwall where there is a gallery called the Cowhouse. My Dad started to talk to the artist there, and before I knew it he had talked me into submitting some paintings. I had to start painting again as fast as possible. I have been exhibiting there since October 2008. Strangely enough I do not tremor when I am painting!