Sunday, August 20
Highlights (and lows) from the past three weeks…
The phenomena most visited has been a largely spontaneous stimulation of energy in the pericardium which results in periods of intense joy and rich sensation, most notably on August 2, 3 & 4, when smells, taste, and vision suddenly brightened. As well as a frequent and profound sense of safety. All of that continued for another week or more at a less intense level, possibly less intense because it became so familiar.
During the night of August 5 I woke suddenly, and spontaneously experienced the five steps of turning off biological pause, clear and distinct, and lovely as quicksilver. For the next four days I could not resist sleep if I stopped moving for even a few seconds. On the afternoon of Wednesday 9, for fifteen minutes I was able to whistle (for the first time since 2002).
Then for the next week, poverty of movement dominated, which makes eating with a fork equal in difficulty to typing. Sleeping varied from seemingly impossible to straight through in comfort, with an emphasis on the latter. My voice would go from strong to barely a whisper in seconds, without apparent cause. For a week since Thursday 10, walking was very bad.
On Sunday 13, I started a regular practice of consciously energizing the pericardium and my gait has steadily improved. But after a few weeks relief, drooling returned in diluvian proportions. I felt in many ways that I was starting again from scratch, but didn’t exactly know what it was I’d been building.
But every day this past week has been filled with social activity, and I generally held up well. On Sunday, I added to my walks a routine of climbing 18 steps at least once a day, and yesterday did so rather competently. Also yesterday, for the final lap of hallway walking, I suddenly straightened my back and took the lap with arms swinging; a small thing that inspires huge confidence (and something I was able to replicate during my hallway laps this morning; most of them). Also this morning, rowing was in very good form. Another confidence builder happened on Thursday when my guest Richard and I were invited to ex-neighbors Renzo and Patrizia’s new home for dinner, and was able to smell fish frying and fresh herbs, distantly but distinct.
I continue to sleep well and comfortably as I have for about ten days. There are still periods of mental fatigue which cause me to be grumpy. Restless leg syndrome is far more annoying than anything PD has thrown at me.
Richard has been here since August 11 and was thus able to afford Roman and his wife time at the beach with their daughter and grandkids. Another one of my caregivers, Iryna, returned with her daughter, Anna, to her husband in eastern Ukraine after 18 months here as refugees. I worry.
I have air conditioning, so find the weather delightful. See you again in two or three weeks.