Heart to Heart

(By Cathy Garrott)

It’s interesting how people with PD tend to bond immediately. A former student of mine (30 yrs. ago) goes to the same rehab center that I do and recently, because of a schedule change, we have been in the same group exercising in the pool once a week. Her husband told me last week that since she has been in my group she has been doing MUCH better physically and mentally/emotionally as well.

In thinking about this woman (who is 10 years older than I) she and I were not the best of friends when she was my student, so I didn’t feel particularly “close” to her. But after I was diagnosed with PD in August of last year she suddenly became very interested in renewing our contact. Now she looks forward to coming to rehab and walking in the pool with me. She has opened up her heart and shared things I would never expect to know about her. It’s like God just opened the door and gave me a grand welcome into her life.

She told me that before I came she felt as if no one really understood the struggles she was dealing with, and going to rehab was so emotionally stressful that she could not see the physical benefits from it. But now she feels that she has a companion in the struggle and she looks forward to rehab. Before she did not want to walk, once she got into the pool, because her pace was so much slower than the others and she was embarrassed. Now I walk beside her and encourage her to keep moving … and she does because she knows I’m struggling with the same foe.

We are trying to climb this same mountain, known as PD, and sharing with others the victories we have had is an encouragement to them as well. Keeping our mental focus looking up instead of inward enables us to make the next leg of the journey with hope instead of despair. Heart to heart we can overcome the psychological barriers and help others in the process. This way, EVERY day can be Valentine’s Day!!!