I understand medical professionals needing a system that identifies stages of deterioration or lists of certain deficits to assess levels of assistance, care, planning, physio, medication. But I have concerns about being labeled or pegged in 1 stage without considering many factors that influence a body’s behaviour or potential for improvement. I haven’t run from bad to worse in a purely chronological way. Some might say I’m just in denial. If I get a low grade temperature my meds may not metabolize for several days and I feel like one more clean shirt will do me. If you tested me cognitively when I first began Requip the report would indicate that the lobotomy was working. I’ve been nauseated and had it pass, fogged out and the fog has lifted and last month I barely left the house and was a shaky mess, but my drugs have clicked in again and I’m driving from Charlottetown to New Glasgow for my Grandmother’s 94th birthday Oct 5th. I know my health improves when I eat better, exercise and pour my pills the night before. Until a scale deals with finance, relationships, job stress, new meds, wearing off of old meds and a whole host of other variables, at best, staging might define a narrow slice of your life at a given moment. Besides, where’s that stage that says I’m fabulous, because I’m in the sunny south, munching on fava beans and drinking margaritas. Oh my…