Robert Lyman Baittie's Blog, page 6

Chapter 73. The trip of a lifetime.

October 15, 2014

Because our problems are often painful and disturbing, our natural tendency is to try to avoid them; we seek ways to get out of difficult situations, or to go around the obstacles we encounter. But our problems are like clouds: though they appear to obscure the serenity of a clear sky, they contain life-giving moisture that nourishes growth. When we face our problems directly and go through them, we discover new ways of being.

— Tarthang Tulku

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If you had the opportunity to travel anywhere, anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Would you choose the familiarity and security of a locale you’ve been before, assuring yourself of an experience you’d be comfortable with and you already know, or would you be adventurous and venture off in an uncharted direction willing to discover things as you go?

What if I told you that there exists a place that is the most magnificent place in the world. A magical place where you can find peace and tranquility, love and compassion and most miraculously of all, it holds restorative powers that can heal you.

Would you go?

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The idea of learning how to completely heal myself, or at the very least, play a significant part in my own healing, is definitely something that intrigues me. And I use the word “learning” with hesitation because I think when it comes to our spirituality or our sense of being, there really isn’t anything to learn—it’s more a matter of remembering what you already know—reawakening the knowledge of ones self, so that you can work on your own behalf instead of against yourself. Within each one of us is the energy and power to contribute significantly to our own health, or do it damage just as easily.

My first taste of self-healing came almost immediately after I was informed I had Parkinson’s disease. At that very instant of having a diagnosis, I had a choice: I could choose to adopt a positive attitude, or I could choose to wallow in fear and despair. I chose moving forward. I even recall my very first words, It could have been a lot worse. And with that, my attitude had started the healing process. But I have to be honest and say I was lucky. I was lucky that something in me unconsciously brought that attitude up in me, because it certainly wasn’t something I had been planning for. Now if it were today, and I was facing a new challenge, it would be a completely different story because I realize the power that exists in positivity. I would not hesitate to start with a positive thought.

The next came with my enrollment in the Michael J. Fox Foundations PPMI study. By doing so I empowered myself in two very significant ways: First, I was taking a proactive role in the management of my disease physically and psychologically. I was going to lead my own charge to fight this disease right away, rather than sitting back and taking cover to wait for the enemy to attack. If I was going to help myself I felt it was prudent to work alongside the best and be where the research was taking place. Additionally, enrolling empowered my spirit. I’m a firm believer that a big part of our role in life is to help others, show compassion, love and empathy, and as such, whenever we are given the opportunity to help others, we have to do so. My having Parkinson’s gave me that opportunity. Being part of a clinical study or donating your service in any way, helps others. It was the right thing to do for my spirit, and that in turn nourished my soul.

Next, was finding the ability within myself to be thankful. Gratitude has turned out to be my own source of dopamine. I’ve adopted a daily routine of giving thanks not only for what I have today but for all the blessings still to come. My expectation every day is for an even better tomorrow and with that mindset it only enhances my attitude and outlook.

Once those foundations for healing were in place, I met my spiritual guide and massage therapist, Staci Oien. With Staci I’ve found a way to nourish my spirit and help it grow. But to do that required that I be willing to look within myself. To go deep within my soul. Ironically, into the darkest areas of my soul to discover where the light in me resides. The light being an understanding of my true purpose. When we discover that for ourselves, our lives shine brighter with an inner happiness and sense of contentment. But too often, for many, their true sense of purpose is hidden away and never discovered, either because of their own fears, or because they’ve lived a life of others defining who they should be. Self discovery is just that. It’s an opportunity to discover who you are. It’s an opportunity to realize your life’s purpose and to begin to live your own truth. That is incredibly healing.

I would never consider abandoning my involvement in clinical trials nor turn away from the incredible knowledge base and research being done by the medical community. No, I most definitely appreciate everything my doctors are doing for me. But even Dr. Simuni would agree with me whole-heartedly that a patient who is involved in their own healing, through exercise of the body, mind and spirit will fair far better than the patient who is not. 

Over these past two and a half years I’ve discovered the most magnificent and magical place to travel to, is within myself. There I have begun a journey which has helped me discover not only a sense of peace with my self and with my life, but it has also opened my eyes and my heart to a purpose. And best of all, it’s healing me. I feel better today, then the day I was diagnosed.

I’m taking the trip of a lifetime and loving every minute of it.

More to come.

To start your Trip of a Lifetime contact Staci Page Oien at http://www.TakeSanctuary.com

Tremors in the Universe is now available in paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx

or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com

A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2014 by Robert Baittie

Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie

Chapter 72. A prayer of gratitude.

October 3, 2014

If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.
~ Meister Eckhart

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The first-year anniversary of my father-in-laws passing is quickly approaching. A man whose presence is deeply missed, but whose memory walks beside everyone who knew him.

Like myself, my father-in-law liked to share words. He liked to share words that he found inspirational, as well as ones he hoped would inspire others. Long before blogging and tweeting became the method for disseminating thoughts and ideas, my father-in-law would sit down and write letters—and mail them.

He called his letters Contacts.

As much as his Contacts were about the sharing of ideas, they were equally about making personal connections—making connections and maintaining connections of the heart. He recognized the importance of staying in touch, maintaining relationships and making new ones.

Last week I had the opportunity to hear one of his Contacts read again, which he first shared with his readers in September of 2002. In it, he suggested, that at least one time each year, each of us should take the time to reflect on life, and think about how fortunate we are to have been chosen to live out our lives—that we should devote time to thinking about why we are here and what we should be doing with the opportunity we have been afforded.

He shared the idea in the form of a prayer—a prayer of gratitude. What is wonderful about this particular prayer is that it opens your eyes and your heart to the bounty we each have been bestowed, no matter what your challenges and no matter what your lot in life. So often, we are guilty of praying for, or asking for, only what we want and what we need, when a prayer of gratitude for what we have, would more than suffice.

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I pray for the children who put chocolate fingers everywhere, who like to be tickled, who step in puddles and ruin their new pants, who sneak popsicles before supper, who can never find their shoes or socks.

And I pray for those children who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire, who can’t bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers, who never counted “one potato, two potato, three potato, four”, who are born in places in which we wouldn’t be caught dead, who never go to the circus and who live in an x-rated world.

I pray for children who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions, who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish, who hug us when they’re in a hurry and forget their lunch money, who cover themselves with Band-aids and sing off-key, who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink and who slurp their soup at the dinner table.

And I pray for those children that never get dessert, who have no safe blanket to drag behind them, who watch their parents watch them die, who can’t find any food to steal, who don’t have a room to clean up, whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s dresser and the children whose monsters are all too real.

I pray for the children who spend all their allowance before Tuesday, who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food, who like ghost stories, who shove their dirty clothes under the bed and never rinse out the tub, who love visits from the tooth fairy, who don’t like to be kissed in front of the school bus and for the children that squirm in church or temple and scream in the phone.

And I pray for those that have nightmares that come in the daytime, who will eat anything, who have never seen a dentist, who are not spoiled by anybody, who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep, the children who live and move but have no being.

I pray for the children who want to be carried—and those who must. I pray for all the children we never give up on, and for those that will grab the hand of ANYONE kind enough to offer it.

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The message of this prayer is that life is about balance.

For all the blessings that many of us have, there are those in the world that are not as fortunate. And as caring, loving, compassionate beings, we have the opportunity to bring life closer to a true balance for all—by giving something of what we do have, to those who do not.

And while we tend to think of that as a monetary gift or something of a material nature, that needn’t always be the case.

I myself am extremely grateful for my life—Parkinson’s and all. I give thanks that I am capable of living it out just the way it is every single day. I know in my heart that my challenges could certainly be much greater and that my life as it is has a purpose and presents an opportunity for me—an opportunity to use my experience to help someone else.

We can all take what we are given in life and use it for the positive. Do you have a personal challenge you’re conquering? Share your success. Help someone else who’s fighting the same battle. Be a teacher with your life. Discover the purpose for who you are and why you are here.

It’s very easy to get caught up in thinking about what you don’t have. For some reason the reminders always seem to be more apparent. The challenge is maintaing an awareness of what you do have in the midst of the times you feel most deprived.

The highest form of gratitude is not expressed by those who receive what they ask for, but rather, by those that give thanks for what remains when all else is taken away.

More to come.

Tremors in the Universe is now available in paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx

or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com

A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2014 by Robert Baittie

Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie

Chapter 71. I never could have imagined.

September 25, 2014

The next time you’re imagining the worst, look up the definition of imagination. ~Robert Baittie

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That is the edict that I have tried to live my life by ever since receiving my diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2012. 

Your imagination is what you choose to make of it.

With PD I could choose to imagine the very best in my future, or I could choose to imagine the worst: a life filled with happiness, propelled forward by positivity, or a life of misery and stagnancy where all possibilities are denied. I could imagine my life having a new beginning, or I could imagine it coming to an end.

To me, the choice was simple. I really couldn’t imagine any other choice. I chose to be happy. For me I chose to imagine Parkinson’s changing my life for the better. I chose to believe it had a positive purpose in store for me.

Webster’s dictionary defines imagination as : the ability of your brain to imagine things that are not real : the ability to form a picture in your mind of something that you have not ever seen, experienced or wholly perceived in reality.

Imagination is what you want to make it.

For those that truly embrace and practice the idea of living in the present, in the moment—appreciating that the most important time in your life is now, there really isn’t much need for imagination. What’s the point of speculating about a tomorrow that never comes? For those that live in the immediate, there never is a tomorrow—only now.

But for the vast majority of us however, we do plan for tomorrow and we do imagine what our future holds. In doing so, we draw on past experience, observation and our own interpretation of the world to help us imagine how our tomorrow will unfold. Therefore, it becomes very important to understand how we go about creating our imagination.

There are two fundamental influences that form our imagination—one is fear and the other is love. When we allow fear to define our imagination, we imagine the worst, and we risk doing nothing. Better to not act at all and remain stagnate than have something negative happen. But by doing so, we manifest the very thing we want to avoid. By imagining pain and suffering we create that very reality for ourselves—if not actually in the physical sense, then emotionally by sacrificing the achievement of what our soul and our spirit continually thrives for in life. Our journeys are about moving forward and accomplishing growth.

When our imagination is guided by the principle of love, we see our world and our lives with a different purpose. It becomes easier to cast aside fear and find a trust and sense of faith for every challenge we face. Personal suffering is eliminated by acceptance, and obstacles preventing spiritual growth are destroyed. By embracing the love that exists as an energy in the universe for all, you discover a companionship that makes the journey pure bliss.

I recently had two opportunities to experience letting love be the guiding influence of my imagination. And the results have been life-changing.

Moving Day® is the National Parkinson Foundation’s annual fundraising walk event. It is a fun and inspiring day that unites families, friends and communities both large and small in the fight against Parkinson’s disease. These celebrations of movement are held in over twenty-two cities around the United States and feature a family friendly walk course, a kids area, a refreshment tent and a special Movement Pavilion featuring exercises proven to help manage the symptoms of PD.

In each city, participants are encouraged to form a walk team. A team that will work towards raising funds and help generate awareness for the walk, for NPF and their mission, and to enhance the cause for Parkinson’s disease. For me the walk has become so much more.

My team in Chicago is the Martini Shakers. Our captain is my oldest daughter Amanda, and the team name is the product of my sense of humor—upon receiving my diagnosis I often joked that at the very least, I could always be employed as a paint can shaker at a Home Depot or a martini shaker in a local bar. In our first year of participation the Martini Shakers raised well over $13,700 and this year we have already surpassed that mark and have our eyes and imagination set on much greater figure.

But what would become our greatest undertaking for the year was imagining that there could be an outpouring of love and support that would reach well beyond dollars and cents.

What our team took on as our own personal challenge this year, was to not only raise money, but to raise consciousness about people coming together. We made it our goal to enlist an honorary co-captain from each of the fifty United States to be a member of our team in Chicago. For us it was not enough to raise the sense of community on just a local level. We wanted to bring together people nationwide. I wanted to show that there wasn’t anything a person couldn’t accomplish if they allowed themselves to believe it possible; if they imagined it from a place of love.

What has happened is remarkable. We have presently enlisted honorary co-captains for forty-eight of the fifty United States and added representatives for three countries as well with England, Canada and Austria. My wife and I have had the pleasure of meeting with the husband and wife who are representing Canada over drinks in Chicago. My Parkinson’s has created new friendships across borders. I have honorary co-captains representing states, that are readers of this very blog. Friendships that will last my lifetime. What started from an imagination based in love has returned love to me fifty-fold. The ripples go out, the waves come back.

We have two states left to have realized one of our goals. I have no doubt we will. I can already imagine it.

The second opportunity was my book.

Tremors in the Universe is the result of combining love with imagination.

In writing this blog and ultimately the book, I found a voice for expressing feelings of love that reside inside of me. A love that I wanted to share about life, hope and happiness. It gave me an opportunity to express to my children and to others, what I have always felt in my heart about the importance of being kind, compassionate and caring for others and remembering that we all are part of a great connection. And as such it is our responsibility to do what we can to help others who are suffering.

I’ve been remarkably blessed regarding my Parkinson’s disease and I am the first to acknowledge that I am not in the majority. That alone, is driving me to do more for those who cannot and to be a voice for those who may not be comfortable speaking about this disease. Writing has been a medium that has allowed me to raise awareness for those who know little about PD, create hope and inspiration for those who might be newly diagnosed, and compassion for those who suffer. It has also allowed me to show that by choosing to be happy, and by allowing yourself to imagine that ANYTHING is possible, there isn’t anything you cannot accomplish.

I would like to say I never imagined myself being capable of writing a book. But I guess I did.

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I recently had my two-year anniversary appointment at the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation in Chicago, as part of my continuing participation in the PPMI clinical trial which is supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. There, my doctor and I reviewed my progress and condition which led to the overall consensus that I am continuing to do remarkably well. That, in turn raised the topic of my positive attitude with my doctor, the chief neurologist in the study, and led to my posing the following observation: I said to Dr. Simuni that I often find myself contemplating whether my continuing positive attitude is a result of my lack of significant symptoms, or whether my continuing lack of significant symptoms is a result of my positive attitude.

Dr. Simuni asked me what I thought was the answer.

"I imagine it’s a little bit of both,” I said. And with that, I gave her a smile.

What I do know is that Parkinson’s disease is going to be eliminated in my lifetime. It will be. And it’s going to happen because of imagination and love. With those two, anything is possible.

More to come.

Tremors in the Universe is now available in paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx

or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com

A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the national parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2014 by Robert Baittie

Follow me on Twitter robertbaittie

TO MAKE  A DONATION TO THE MARTINI SHAKERS TEAM, PLEASE VISIT: http://www3.parkinson.org/goto/robertbaittie

Chapter 70. Going out of my mind with a positive diagnosis.

September 14, 2014

“The most terrible things in my life never actually happened.” ~Oscar Wilde

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The English language not only fascinates me, it confuses the hell out of me. Anyone who has read my posts can attest to that. After all, my command of our language, along with its rules, is absolutely horrendous.

However, as my interest in writing has grown, I’ve discovered I’m studying the subtleties of words with increasing scrutiny, to help ensure I am continuing to fashion the best run-on sentences possible.

The result is, there are a host of words and phrases we use to mean one thing, yet, when looked at closely, they have little relevancy to their intended purpose at all. Or better yet, could take on much greater significance if we were simply open to changing our interpretation of them.

Take for example, the phrase of someone being, “Out of their mind”.

The observation came to me as I began reading Eckhart Tolle’s, The Power of Now—A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment.

Being one who is deeply interested in the power of positive thinking as well as spirituality, I found The Power of Now to be quite thought-provoking.

In his book, quite ironically, Tolle outlines that one of the greatest obstacles we all face to experiencing enlightenment or achieving tranquility in our lives, is our inability to dis-identify with our own minds. We are all afflicted with compulsive thinking, creating never-ending mental noise, but we believe it to be normal because almost everybody suffers from it. And it is this constant noise that prevents us from obtaining inner peace.

He goes on to say that, Enlightenment is not only the end of suffering and of continuous conflict within and without, but also the end of the dreadful enslavement to incessant thinking. That we all basically have multiple voices that we listen to from within. The first being the voice (or voices) in our head that conduct continuous monologues or dialogues that comment, speculate, judge, compare, complain, express likes and dislikes, and so on, and usually do so by reviving the past or rehearsing or imaging possible future situations. And it is here we often imagine things going wrong and dream up negative outcomes for ourselves.

The second voice we hear is the voice that speaks to us from our spirit, our soul, our heart, the voice of our true essence. How often have you ever heard your self say, I don’t like the person I’ve become? That is the perfect example of the two voices, the two dimensions of your very being. It is your spirit not attaining its true essence due to the fact that the easy path is one of listening to the fears and worries created by the thoughts of your mind. We listen to the wrong voice.

The goal according to Tolle is to be able to rise above the restricting thoughts of your mind and learn to allow your spirit to be an observer of your thoughts. Do not judge or condemn the thoughts that you hear that come from the voice of your mind, but rather simply observe them, listen to them, acknowledge them, and then let them go. When you can achieve that level of consciousness, it is then you will be able to let thoughts go that hold you back and you will be able to move forward in a sense of stillness and peace.

In essence, Eckhart Tolle appears to be suggesting that for one to truly achieve enlightenment, tranquility and peace, one needs to be, Out of their mind.

A second word perplexity came to me after thinking about the fact I had received a positive diagnosis for Parkinson’s disease. For me, it truly has been just that; a positive, life-changing diagnosis. The words that for so many others have represented the negative, I am turning around and redefining for myself to represent exactly what the words say, and exactly what it will be. A positive diagnosis.

But to do so has required a continuous effort on my part to listen to my heart, stay true to my spirit, always choose happiness and stay above the thoughts in my mind that can imagine the worst. The thoughts I do let dominate my mind now are much more focused and productive and far less cluttered with a dialogue of worry or fear about tomorrow. That has given me a much greater sense of peace with Parkinson’s and with life.

The vast majority of pain and discomfort we all experience in our lives stems from some form of nonacceptance or resistance towards accepting what is. The greater the pain—the greater ones level of resistance. For me, I truly accepted my positive diagnosis as a “It is what it is" event in my life. There was no resistance or nonacceptance on my part and as a result, fear never took hold. My thoughts immediately became focused on what can I do? How can I get involved? How can I make a difference for myself and for others?

From the very beginning I was lucky.

I was out of my mind.

But here’s the crazy part…

It works!

More to come.

To read the entire story from the beginning you can now buy the book at www.tremorsintheuniverse.com

Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2014 by Robert Baittie

Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie

Chapter 69. He's such a Robertly man.

August 30, 2014

"What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

~William Shakespeare

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When Juliet utters those immortal words in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is telling Romeo that a name is an artificial and meaningless convention, and that she loves the person who is called “Montague”, not the Montague name and not the Montague family. Romeo, out of his passion for Juliet, rejects his family name and vows, as Juliet asks, to “deny (his) father” and instead be “new baptized” as Juliet’s lover. This one short line encapsulates the central struggle and tragedy of the play, and is one of Shakespeare’s most famous quotes.

And while Billy Shakespeare quite effectively romanticizes the notion through poetic verse, truth be told these “artificial and meaningless conventions” often do carry significant weight and have the potential to influence people both positively and negatively.

Take for example how we labor over the seemingly simple ritual of choosing a moniker for our children. Saddled with the idea that the name we choose holds their success or failure in the balance, we no longer are quick to accept the name Wally when Lucas is in the realm of possibility. And if you ask me Gavin McDonald has a much better chance of becoming a corporate CEO than Ronald does.

In the era I was born in (the 1960s), it was less about being descriptive or phonetic and more about naming your children after relatives you wanted to honor. And so it was in my family. My first name Robert was chosen for me, as a way to honor my Godfather and Uncle Bob, while my middle name Lyman was to honor my grandfather who had passed away shortly before I was born. I’ve always liked the name Lyman very much. It’s unique and it gives me a sense of connection to the man I consider to be one of my guardian angels.

But liking the names or not it still didnt spare me from teasing and ridicule.

Growing up I was called every derivative of Robert. 

Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robby, Boob, Booby, Bobaloo, Boobalah, Bõbear, Bobarah, and Bobette are among the ones I can recall. Combine that with the last name Baittie for added alliteration and my propensity as a kindergartner to be teary-eyed and “Baby Bobby Baittie” became oh so commonplace for me to hear as I maneuvered up and down the school halls.

But eventually the teasing and taunting names used during adolescents give way to nick names that are acquired out of friendship and affection, and as we enter adulthood our name takes on an even greater significance. A name can reflect or convey the style of a person, very much like an individuals signature.

When I went into business for myself as a designer, I made the choice to have my name adorn the sign.

And when I decided to author Tremors in the Universe, I chose Robert Lyman as the pen name to attribute my writing to, to pay homage to my grandfather who though I never met, I feel has played a big part in my spiritual life.

For others, a name can hold very little significance. Take my father for example. On many an occasion I recall him saying, “You can call me anything you like, just don’t call me late for dinner.”

And then there are the names that hold an incredible amount of weight to them. Like, Parkinson. James Parkinson, who gave his name to Parkinson’s disease.

I was given that name.

The first thing I learned about the name Parkinson is, it’s not very well liked. Because as soon as I told people I had it, the customary response was, “Oh, we’re so sorry to hear that!”

Really, it’s ok! It’s not like I was asking people to go out and make me monogrammed towels for the bathroom.

In all seriousness Parkinson’s is a name that has long represented anger, anxiety, depression, suffering and hopelessness for millions upon millions of people. The name also labels the painful loss of loved ones to a horrific disease that slowly robbed them of their bodies, their minds and ultimately their spirit. Parkinson’s has meant unimaginable sacrifice by families and caregivers; losing parts of their own lives to a disease they were never diagnosed with yet it effected them equally. These are all undeniable truths that have contributed greatly to the names negative reputation.

But Parkinson’s reputation and name also carries with it a number of misconceptions. Dispelling these myths will go a long way in creating awareness about this incurable, neurological disorder and allow those with it to feel more comfortable in society, and prevent misdiagnosis.

Age—Although PD tends to strike those in their fifties or early sixties (late middle age) more often, it does occur in younger people as well. More cases of early-onset Parkinson’s disease have been found in people under the age of 40, an average of 5-10 percent in recent years.

Tremors—Not everyone experiences tremors. 15-30 percent do not experience any form of tremors at all.

Prevention—While it is always good for people of any age to try to live a healthy lifestyle by eating right and exercising, following a healthy lifestyle will not prevent Parkinson’s disease.

Management—Another misconception is that lifestyle modifications can do nothing toward improving the symptoms of the disease. This is not true. Regular exercise, in particular muscle strengthening exercises and walking, as well as dietary changes cannot slow the progression of the disease but can cut down on the severity of symptoms.

Burdensome—The progression of the disease is not the same for everyone. Some individuals suffer milder forms of Parkinson’s than do others and not everyone experiences all of the same symptoms or the same severity. With medication, regular exercise and dietary considerations most Parkinson’s patients can live on their own and be as productive in their daily lives as anyone else.

Mortality—The final misconception is that Parkinson’s disease will cause death. Parkinson’s has not been proven to be fatal although patients with it do have special health concerns. The disease can wreak havoc with the respiratory system, which can lead to pneumonia.

A form of pneumonia known as aspiration pneumonia is of particular concern as many patients develop problems with swallowing which can cause aspiration of food. As well a lack of movement can cause a person to be more prone to developing a variety of infections. Many Parkinsons patients never develop any of the above problems and manage to live anywhere from 20-30 years with the disease.

What must not be forgotten, is that in the midst of all the negative aspects of Parkinson’s disease and the numerous misconceptions, there are a host of positive qualities. And it is there that I have chosen to keep my focus and to make my contribution towards making a new name for Parkinson’s.

I want to be a part of changing the name of Parkinson’s. Because Parkinson’s patients deserve to be thought of as more than what the history of the name holds. Every Parkinson’s patient today is more than what the name represents and they need to know that and feel that. I know there are a lot of people with PD who are depressed, and who struggle and I want nothing more than for them to be free of that. And so my intention is to stay as focused as I possibly can on creating a new name for Parkinson’s. One that means positivity, courage, determination, hope and love. And hopefully, in some way help those who are suffering to see the possibilities within themselves to be more in spite of this disease.

That is where I feel my purpose is aligned in relation to my having Parkinson’s.

People with Parkinson’s are incredibly strong individuals. They show strength of character mentally, emotionally and physically on a daily basis. Imagine for yourself, not knowing what to expect from the disease that you have or what your choices might be to deal with whatever arises, and then to have it compounded by not having much information to go on that can point toward a cause or lead to a cure. Yet for countless patients, hope and determination is never in short supply. One has to be able to set aside fear of the unknown to live positively in the present. Parkinson’s patients fight that battle successfully every day.

Parkinson’s patients are resilient. They learn quickly to recognize a good day and seize it, and if it’s not they don’t apologize for it or complain about it. They simply push on.

And most of all Parkinson’s patients are determined. There have been too many “hows” and “whys” in the history of PD that have remained unanswered and patients are committed now more than ever to finding answers by being proactive and involved.

The advances made in research along with new treatments and heightened awareness have changed the face of Parkinson’s dramatically in recent years. The availability of clinical trials and studies are creating greater opportunities for patients to become active participants in their disease management and care.

What’s in a name? In Parkinson’s I see strength, courage, determination, hope and love.

The name is changing.

It’s a name we can all be proud of.

More to come.

To read the entire story from the beginning you can now buy the book at www.tremorsintheuniverse.com

Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2014 by Robert Baittie

Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie

Chapter 68. Speak your truth.

August 21, 2014

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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I believe that every one of us is embodied with an internal wisdom. A wisdom comprised of lifetimes of knowledge that shape personal beliefs and our unique view of the world, that like a compass help us navigate our way through life. It is the voice in our soul that speaks to our heart with intuitive words that influence our choices and initiate our actions. For each of us it is the essence of who we are.

For many that essence is a light that burns brightly fueled by love and compassion. A love for others and for doing good. And for those that hold love as their guiding light, they are realizing their greatest purpose in life. The riches that are afforded them are not in what they receive but rather in what they give away. Their service to others. Their compassion for humanity. They have come to know the truth that the spirit of the Divine does not exist in the ego of “I” but rather in the limitless sum of us all. For we all, are truly of one universe, one source, and that very simple fact alone makes us one.

That same reality and potential for understanding and being exists in everyone. It’s there. It just requires a reawakening to your own personal wisdom, your inner truth, remembering your true self and truly understanding who you are and why you are here. It requires letting go of ego and self.

It also requires courage. A tremendous amount of courage. 

Sharing your deepest, personal, intimate thoughts about life and what you feel and believe in your heart takes courage. There is most definitely fear associated with opening up to other people. We fear being vulnerable. We fear judgment and ridicule. Yet what we fear sharing, is our own truth. It’s what each and every one of us believes in our heart and in our soul that guides us from day-to-day. It’s a natural wisdom we are born with and carry with us for all eternity. It’s a unique gift we all are capable of sharing if we could just overcome our fears.

For me to open up in this venue and share my thoughts and feelings regarding Parkinson’s and spirituality as I have over these past ten months was definitely frightening. I was very cognizant from the start, and I still am to this day of not wanting “to preach” to anyone, but rather, simply find a comfort in sharing the truth that exists in my heart. It’s sharing. It’s speaking my heart from love and compassion and nothing more.

It’s one thing to recognize and hear the voice that resides deep inside you, but it is entirely another to allow it to speak. Far too often ego and fear stifle our voice of love and compassion.

As human beings, no better than the next, we bear witness to racial injustices as well as violence and bullying and turn a blind eye rather than lend a hand to hold up those being pushed down. We avoid eye contact with the homeless as if to deny their existence, yet for them, feeling a sense of belonging to the social fabric is one of the most basic needs of humanity. It is my personal belief that a genuine and heart-felt smile would equally shine as brightly as a quarter.

We all must come to the realization that our spiritual beings are just renting space here for the time being, and as such, once we can grasp that, we need to re-enter our world with a compassionate and loving heart.

If you feel love in your heart, speak of love. If you feel compassion, be compassionate. Live your life as it was intended to be lived, in harmony with mankind. Not in silence and inaction due to fear and insecurity. Don’t swallow the injustice you see in the world. It will only make you sick in the end. Taste the sweetness of your spirit and share it with everyone who hungers.

Speak your  truth.

More to come.

To read the entire story from the beginning you can now buy the book at www.tremorsintheuniverse.com

Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2014 by Robert Baittie

Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie

Chapter 67. What Dreams May Come.

August 15, 2014

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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"God never gives us more than we can endure."

If you are like me you’ve probably heard that expression a thousand times in your life. It’s that expression someone utters to you when things couldn’t seem to be progressing more miserably for you.

For me I think I actually recall saying it to myself in July of 2012 when the economy was tanking, my business was suffering, I had two children going off to college and I had just received the diagnosis that I had Parkinson’s disease.

It’s one of those phrases you use to try and challenge yourself to pick yourself up and push forward through pain and adversity because that is what is expected of you and yet it often sounds more like a taunt than a comfort. When we are down and out and feeling discouraged, hearing those words can cause us to feel like we are not measuring up. It causes us to ask, “If I am supposed to handle this, then why can’t I handle it?”

So did God really promise that? Does the universe truly know each of our threshold for pain and suffering?

I don’t think so.

Because with the recent and tragic death of comedian and actor Robin Williams, I found myself bitterly angry with that phrase and feeling like someone allowed the envelope to be pushed too far.

The truth of the matter according to 1 Corinthians is God never promised or said any such thing. What was said and has been misconstrued over 2,000 years was actually written by the Apostle Paul and refers to temptation and sin that we all face every day; “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it”.

A far cry from He never gives us more than we can endure.

The problem with the original phrase is there are times in all our lives when we feel like we are drowning and there is no one to help us.

The words that are meant to encourage us can often serve to only create discouragement. Worse yet, this phrase can tempt us to ignore our suffering and pretend it’s not there. It can lead us to believe the lie that we can do it ourselves; that we can handle it. Which raises the question, “If we can handle anything that comes our way, then why do we need anyone at all?”

We need to realize that sometimes we can’t make it on our own and that it’s OK to feel like we can’t handle it, like we are going to give up. When we become aware that life will give us more than we can handle and come to grips with this, then this is where we need to allow others to come in. We need to be willing to ask for help and we also need to be willing to offer help. We need each other to move ahead, and we need far more than tired old phrases.

In times when life becomes unmanageable, we need to be willing to walk alongside one another. When we do this, we can be with one another in the midst of suffering, helping each other carry the weight. Which means, that we, caring and loving human beings, have an opportunity.

When we are willing to sit in the pain, to walk with one another when life’s path is difficult and to shoulder one another’s burdens when they are too heavy, we become an embodied promise. We become living proof that while life can sometimes be too much, through the goodness of our capacity to love and the essence of God displayed within us, we can move forward together.

I have a dear friend who I love very much. He has struggled and fought tirelessly for years with bipolar disorder and severe bouts of depression. He has been both at the brink of death and experienced the highs of life.

He has read my blog with the commitment and passion that one would expect between close friends and he has supported me and championed me throughout my fight and my battle with Parkinson’s disease and he has always been the first to acknowledge my accomplishments and my gains.

I want to recognize him for the same and for fighting an even tougher battle.

Parkinson’s is a disease. Depression is as well.

Only with Depression they don’t hold fundraisers, and people don’t say “Oh, I’m sorry, is there anything I can do to help?”. They don’t cook meals for the family or offer to run errands and do chores. They don’t have a spokesperson who’s eliminated the stigma of saying “I suffer from Depression.”

But what he does have is my commitment and my love to be there for him anytime he reaches out to me for my help.

We all need to commit ourselves with compassion, love and understanding to those we know personally that are suffering and fighting through their own battles.

_____

“When my body gets to the point where I can no longer function or feel gratitude, then I’ll leave it and become grateful again. But until then, I will appreciate what I have and not whine about what I don’t have. I will feel blessed by life and the opportunity to help others see that they are blessed, too.” ~Bernie Siegel

More to come.

To read the entire story from the beginning you can now buy the book at www.tremorsintheuniverse.com

Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2014 by Robert Baittie

Follow me at Twitter @RobertBaittie