Hello ementhon
You said that your dad was diagnosed last year which is but a nano second in Parkinson’s terms. You don’t say when, so we could be talking just a few weeks or nearly a whole year. For the purposes of this reply, I am going to assume it was weeks rather than months, so that I can keep some focus and I am going to make a number of general ‘starting points’ if you like which may help clarify your thinking.
You will hear a lot about it being a very individual condition and that is because people can have similar symptoms but are affected by them in very different ways.
The early days and weeks can be very strange. You are given this life changing diagnosis and then it’s all a bit of an anti climax because nothing much changes. That is primarily because with a lot of things ‘Parkinson’s’ any treatment plans inc; medication, can take a while to sort out and time to see what works.There is no definitive test and plans depend largely on clinical observations and what the person with parkinson’s others etc, can tell them - and that’s not always easy.
The condition in most moves slowly so there is time to adapt and adjust
A roller coaster of emotions is normal and all are legitimate, however long they last.
We all find a way to live with Parkinson’s but it takes as long as it takes and that could be anything from a week or two, to months. Getting to that point can take many forms. Some choose to fight it all the way, some follow all the research in the hope of a cure, some search out any and all sorts of treatments, complementary therapies etc which may help. My own way is to do my best to stay positive and that has stood me in good stead for 16 years - I see myself as Tot first and I happen to have Parkinson’s. I don’t challenge the diagnosis - since there is no cure I accept that as fact. What I do challenge is the curved balls thrown into my path and a lot of that means getting strength from a positive mindset. Parkinson’s may win the odd battle but has not yet won the war.
Life may be different but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your hopes, dreams and plans - although you may need to adapt them, and it doesn’t mean you are looking into a black hole of a future where the only way is down unless you choose to see it in those terms. GracePUKMODTEAM25 suggested you might want to do some reading about the condition, which is good advice but we would also recommend not going mad reading everything you can lat your hands on - chances are you will end up with information overload and only remember the blackest of black scenarios.
Larn to live in the present and appreciate every day and don’t waste a lot of time thinking about the future. We know our condition will deteriorate over time but equally we could be run over by the proverbial bus next week. Today is a one off, this 24 hours does not repeat so why not make today the best you can.
Next to medication, regular exercise is the next best thing you can do to help yourself and there may be some Parkinson’s specific groups near you, some gyms offer reduced memberships for people with Parkinson’s, there are videos - a quick search on the internet will show you just what is about. The crucial thing is to keep moving. After trying several ways to get regular exercise into my day, I opted for a Personal Trainer which I pay for out of my PIP. I wrote about how I came to take this course of action on the forum and this is the link if you want a look’
htps://forum.parkinsons.org.uk/t/exercise-and-parkinson-s/33674
I have gone on at some length here but do hope you find at least some of it of interest and use and not too boring.
Tot