Ill health is how ill

Living with Parkinson's Work, benefits and money
1

I wonder if anyone else has this problem .... Do I go for ill health retirement or not ... How ill do I have to be.  I cannot do the job I am employed to do, we'll not properly,  I am a PA who can,t type, write or remember things that I should.  What will be the benefits of IH retirement .... Can I survive the months of no pay, whilst some suit decides whether I am ill enough to qualify for my pension early ! I am 56 by the way and always worked

2

Of all the things I miss having PD is the rhythm that you feel when music plays - has anyone else experienced this - I used to love dancing about to the radio, but I cannot 'feel' the inner rhythm any more which is very depressing - will it come back once I find the right meds.

3

moonandstars --

I think it might come back.  One way I first guessed I had PD was my inability to coordinate my hands at the piano.  the regularity and control of rhythm simply weren't there.  Now I play the piano nearly as well as I did prior to PD!

J

4
Hi j please can u suggest some easy piano pieces so I can start again? Ages ago, pror to.Pd,I passed my grade 1. Now my left hand isn't too co-ordinated. But I would really love to get back playing. Not too much bass clef tho, I find it hard to read that quickly. Oh, and my F# sticks :). Thanks
5

Thanks j - that gives me some hope - it is weird I can sway to the beat, but keep losing the rhythm and cannot feel the beat, if that makes sense - I compensate by listening to my iPod and singing .... Torture for those around me , lol

6

Hello, emswife!

I'm not the most knowledgeable person in music lit., but I can suggest a few pieces, hoping that they're about the right level of difficulty.  Schumann wrote some lullabies and some "papillons" that are pretty and not complex.  There is always Chopin's short and slow "Prelude in A" (Op. 28, No. 7).  It's good for practicing evenness of fingering.  And for flexibility and timing, the simple Bach works are the best for me.  Find some of his easiest preludes or dances (minuet, gigue, allemande); his really complex compositions are beyond my ability.  Since I only play classical music, I cannot suggest any good arrangers for popular music, I'm afraid, though I do have a book of John Tesh's compositions that are very easy and have a pleasing sound.

I hope that's of some use!

 

moonandstars, I'm always glad to spread hopefulness!  I really have regained a lot of coordination through medications.  But my singing voice is hard to control in pitch some days, and I haven't made any effort to overcome the problem, probably because it doesn't matter to me -- I only sing around the house, and I live alone!

My best regards,

J

7
Thanks.I love the music of JSB so will look out for some. The Chopin was my exam piece 40 years ago as a,student!
8

Hello again, emswife!

I wasn't sure what level of ability you had achieved.  But if you played Chopin's prelude, some of his waltzes might be the next step.  I'd also recommend Mozart's and Haydn's sonatinas and sonatas.  You can sometimes find books of sonatinas by multiple composers.

Lately I've been practising Chopin's "Berceuse" and "Fantaisie Impromptu" in C# minor plus Beethoven's "Sonate Pathetique" and Mendelssohn's "Rondo Capriccioso" (Op. 14).

Nice to share with another pianist!

J

9
Not sure I can still call myself a pianist, but will have a look for some of your suggestions next time I'm near Bank's in York, which is my nearest sheet music shop.