One step at a time
Hiking seems an easy pastime. After all, it is just walking – a simple, natural motion almost all humans accomplish many times a day. However, some obstacles make hiking – and life – not quite so easy. As we age and our bodies change, eventually movement – including hiking – becomes occasionally (then increasingly) difficult. So we learn with time to be grateful for every step, and we grow to appreciate even more the beauty of each hike – and our physical ability to complete it.
Even the longest hike is made up of individual steps, and it is important to take one step at a time. You can never assume that any steps are of more or less significance than any others. If any particular step is ignored, there is the chance that the one you ignore is the very step that could lead to a fall or a turned ankle or a snake bite. You may be distracted by a map or a fabulous view, but you must still be careful every time you plant your foot on the trail.
No matter the actual length of your hike, there are times when the trail seems long, and you begin to think you will never get to the end (or back to the beginning). But every hike is made up of those individual steps which, put together, eventually take you to your destination. If you keep plugging away at it, keep taking step after step after step, you will get to your goal. This is, of course, unless you turn back – in which case you will still get back where you started.
Taking the first step
The first step in the process of taking a hike is a bit of pre-hike homework. Your hike will go more smoothly if you plan it well. Select your route with care (see Chapter 4), then before you get started, re-read a book or website description of the trail to which you are headed. Many hikers blog their adventures, so lots of trails are a feel for the nature of the trail, and be honest with yourself as to whether it will be a good one for you. Also with thoughtful planning, you will better appreciate any special features such as rock formations or waterfalls if you have some idea what to look for.
As we get older, JG and I have found that we need to plan shorter hikes overall and – with some regret – to give ourselves permission to give up proudly ambitious goals if they are not realistic. This change in our attitude certainly contributes to our many successful hiking experiences.
Pre-hike planning should also include deciding what is the best day or time of day time for this specific hike. This should involve a check on the weather forecast, calculating how long it will take to drive to the trail head, planning and preparing any food you need to take with you, and collecting your equipment.
Be conservative when interpreting information on weather and trail conditions. It is better to miss a great hike on a beautiful day than to go on a hike on a day with a questionable forecast and get caught in inclement weather unprepared for the elements.
Be sure to include your hiking buddy and his or her preferences and abilities in the planning process. This will help ensure a successful hike with no unpleasant surprises.
One day at a time
Just as you must lay the foundation for your hike by planning and learning the basics about your upcoming hike, you have to establish a solid foundation for a life with Parkinson’s by knowing the basics about this disorder. And just as you must actually accomplish that hike one step at a time, you really need only deal with today’s issues in your life with PD. If you feel overwhelmed at the amount of information or the number of symptoms or the uncertainty of your prognosis, remember that you can proceed one day at a time.
Living with Parkinson’s disease is a trek with a future that seems grim. But taking it one day at a time and one step at a time is a useful strategy when facing a chronic illness. The future is uncertain, so you need to focus on the present; otherwise you may waste your time worrying about things that will never happen.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
The first step in the basics of Parkinson’s disease (also called PD) is a definition. PD is a degenerative neurological condition that is marked by the death of brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. By the time symptoms are evident and the disorder is diagnosable, as many as 80% of those cells are dead. The reduction in the availability of dopamine means that the messages that the brain tries to send to the muscles won’tget through the system as smoothly as they should. The instructions to move one’s legs or fingers or whatever get garbled, making the movement more difficult or even impossible.
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