I thought I'd never like a support group

After I learned, for certain, on Dec. 4 that I have Parkinson's disease I was visiting with my friend, Ginkgo Forest Winery co-owner Lois Thiede, and informed her I had joined her club.

I'd seen Lois's walking gait several times, and it didn't seem quite right. Naturally I asked what was causing her shuffle. Parkinson's, she said.

I took a deep interest and drew Lois into a discussion because I had thought for a couple of years, at least, that I had Parkinson's. The more we talked, the more I believed it.

But the doctors I had seen so far, would not say I had Parkinson's. Except for one, who said I had some of the symptoms in November of 2013. But not enough to call it Parkinson's.

I was interpreting in November last year for a doctor in Yakima who had a Spanish-only patient. The more I interpreted their conversation, the more it sounded like they were talking about my symptoms.

When the doctor said he had a medication that would help the woman with her walk, I became really interested. By that time, I was walking really slow, with very short steps. I had given up golf completely.

Doctor, I said: I think you know something I need to know. Can I make an appointment?

The appointment was made for Dec. 4. By then, things were worse. I could not hold food on a fork. I couldn't turn eggs, break them properly and struggled to peel potatoes. My typing had dropped to pecking speed, and my voice volume had diminished.

After my stated symptoms and observing my gait, the doctor said: "I have absolutely no doubt you have Parkinson's."

I was relieved. Now the proper actions could be taken.

When I told Lois what I finally had learned, she welcomed me to her club. She smiled. We both laughed. Then jokingly, I suggested we start a Parkinson's support group.

Being a hard-crusted farm boy, I always thought support groups were silly. They were devised so that people of a common ailment could sit around feeling sorry for each other.

But Lois took what I said to heart. She called me a few days later with the names of three other women with Parkinson's who would join us for the first meeting in April.

I couldn't say no. I couldn't even say I had too much work to do. I had put my foot in my mouth, and I'd have to eat it.

I went to that first meeting and met Jenni, Bertie and Judy. All three were the nicest people. I spent two hours with them and Lois. We shared a dazzling lunch they prepared, and then we shared our Parkinson's experiences.

Like me, all four of my support group mates had been diagnosed well after the first symptoms. Like me, they were relieved to find out what they had.

Like me, they are all doing better now because of medication I call a miracle. And new things are coming along that have a promise of even more correction. Bertie mentioned one at our June meeting. Judy mentioned another last week.

Jenni sent me a link to a talk by a specialist in Colorado. He speaks about ways to deal with Parkinson's.

Working as an interpreter, part time, I see a lot of doctors in Yakima and Tri-Cities do wondrous things. The procedures they perform regarding the heart and blood flow, the things they do about the eyes and the success they're having against cancer floor me.

Computerization and all of the other technologies you use for your work and pleasure are being used in all kinds of ways in medicine. It's just unbelievable.

Ultra sound is not just for unborn babies. It is used to inspect your heart and other organs. It can be used to find or deal with aneurisms before they explode.

In addition to discussing advances in the treatment of Parkinson's, the four ladies and I discuss our families, our friends and how we've been feeling lately. Last Friday we all reported that we are doing better.

I wondered how much of that is the result of discussing our common ailment freely. All I know is that the support group is nothing like I imagined. I look forward to the next meeting.

If you'd like to know more, write to me at my email address or call my cell phone, both of which are printed weekly in this paper.