.. Than eventually leading to our bodies weakening to the point that we will die of loss of the use of autonomically controlled muscles by the diaphragm or heart failing. That is what gets us, if we are lucky enough to make it through the gamut of other things that can cause our death from the eventual weakening of the voluntary muscles, examples; choking due to the loss of the ability to swallow correctly; falling and breaking bones and unable to heal because of a weak immune system caused by years of inactivity, poor diet, or any number of reasons, and thus inviting the adventitious growth of bacterial, viral, fungal vectors; suicide due to deep depression, or the inability to "handle" the horrible constant dyskinesias and dystonias and general constant neurological pain due in part to the conditions previously mentioned; poor balance and lack of ability to run from imminent danger from motor vehicles or heavy falling objects; drowning from inability to move when a sudden "off" hits us, even though we think we are in safe waters, and all kinds of conditions from bradykinesia such as trying to find our way out of a burning house or any number of life threatening conditions that demand quick action ( don't laugh, this is for real). Those whom suffer dementia with PD are at further risk of all the above factors and more.
NO, NO. PD is so much more, and it all has to do with loss, and loss increases stress, and stress exacerbates PD symptoms.
Loss of employment leads to poverty (if you aren't prepared insurance wise), but even then one drifts through life at the termination of employment when PD hits you when you are young. The inability to take care of dependants financial needs leads to loss of self esteem and can alter behavior very much to the detriment of all of those in ones life, self, family and friends. Obsessive compulsive syndrome of all sorts may accompany this, leading to further breakdown in family relationships, and then one finds themselves "abandoned" or "marginalized" within their former sphere of influence, which just adds fuel to the flames. Divorce, loss of emotional support, love, and all the other things that the human psyche thrives on eventually leads to clinical depression and this leads to indifference which can lead to neglect of personal hygeine and just make one a real pitifully tragic character. The only way out of this maelstrom is to talk to others who are having the same problems and have developed some kinds of coping skills. PWP who are advanced and who are suffering intensely from the parkinsonian syndrome, will still have unresolved issues, but they are often better giving advice than anybody except for a very small minority of good neurologists and/or psychologists whom have worked with PWP for many years.
For instance, my wife has had it that I can't be the father to my children that I once was, don't go anywhere with her because she is embarrassed of my strange movements when dyskinetic; lay in bed at odd hours making myself distanced from my growing up family, and a whole lot of other issues that i'm sure I share with other young PWP with families and homes to deal with. If I wasn't financially prepared as I was, I'm sure she would have ran several years ago. So, I have parkinsons disease (10 years with several years bad symptoms). All i see is a continued degradation in my quality of life, continuing loss and "marginalization", where I am an unwanted burden to my family, an embarrassment (my oldest boy makes sure i'm out of the way when he brings friends home like i was the elephant man or something, yet outwardly at first glance I appear normal and not bad looking by any means, he just doesn't want his friends to see me get up and shuffle around and have to endure the "what's wrong with your dad questions"). My wife has taken to beating up on me emotionally, any little thing that I do or say that she used to ignore is now a "big deal"; it's a product of her frustration and overworking without proper holiday breaks, i forgive her because i can imagine how she feels.
So, i have just related way too much about my own personal situation, just so i can share with you, my PWP friends, that i am in no way leading a charmed PD existence by any means. I'm not embarrassed to say so either because i want you to know that all of these obstacles , although life shattering, can be coped with, one only needs the patience and courage to defuse tense situations that develop which are definately caused by or related to having PD. One MUST make it easier on themself and decrease the stress level in ones life, if you fail to do this, loss will just continue untill you absolutely go nuts and go off the deep end. and that's a very bad place to be in. PD really can be Hell on earth, sometimes i wish that all the doubting Thomas'es, all the Rush Limbaughs', all the people who think that PD is a cake walk could be struck with the worst PD symptoms all at once for just for 10 minutes; if that could happen, i think we would get funding for a cure el pronto!
Thanks for reading, and happy trails to all of you. cs