Over a year ago I was in a training (regarding effective communication). Each time I made a comment or I asked question there was no response. Frustrating! Now was it a multi-day training so the experience came back a few times and I became more and more irritated. What I had to say made sence why was I ignored. Suddenly I understood. People did not hear me. And what is the value of words that are not heard. Indeed………. So parkinson or not, I just had to talk louder (feels for me like shouting).
A few years back I wanted to grab a beer in a pub and it was just one of those moments in the day that my medication was off. I was refused because I was drunk (at least in the opinion of the barmaid). From experience I can tell that getting angry does not help. What would help?
Just two experiences with Parkinson’s. The first is about perceptions of myself and the second about the perception of the other. The first is obviously easier to influence than the last and you (i) do not always feel like it. Sometimes you just want life to be easy on you and you do nothing. And the times when you do make the choice to do something about it, you reach so much more.
What might have worked better with the bartender than getting angry, which only reinforced her opinion that I was drunk, was quietly explaining to her that I have Parkinson’s and that Parkinson’s effects my way of walking. Great chance that I could have come in. And there are much more pub’s in Amsterdam. My choice then was another! How would you react in such a situation?