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
