It’s a long time since I posted on my blog. In fact it is a year! A lot has happened in that year, I’ve moved started a new life with a new partner in a new area. I have had to give in and give up work due to the progression of Parkinson’s. The fatigue and cognitive issues got the better of me and one morning staring at the works PC, I realised it was not fair on me or my colleges to carry on. It’s been one of those significant years and now it’s the end of 2019 and I can say I can look back and say it has not been a year without action after action.
One of the great observations of this year is how the Parkinson’s Community has a great apathy within it. Some disagree with me but her are my observations.
I belong to several Facebook groups of the Parkinson’s community including a few of my own. It may look good when they have 2-3k of members but this means nothing. Out of the thousands of members of these groups for some reason only less than a handful will be seen posting or even commenting.
There is such a vast amount of information out there of living with Parkinson’s and how to make it as less a weight on a normal life as possible. There are a few of us working fearlessly to bring this information together and make it available for everyone in an easy to find format. One of those is Shaky Radio, yes shame you don’t listen! There is a team of people with Parkinson’s who work hours and hours to make available information and help that requires no effort, just listen. There is is so a whole team putting programmes together despite their PD for all of our entertainment. Most of the listeners are abroad and the UK show their numbness to something unique and really valuable to them. Break this disgusting show of ignorance and take a listen www.shakyradio.co.uk
So what is it we are all suffering? Apathy is very destructive. It makes us feel isolated from each other as we leave it all to the few who are wearing themselves out for nothing as most of you are ignoring their hard work. It doesn’t matter if you have anxiety, depression, pain, or tremors to make the odd comments or write the odd post about how you are is a must for the benefit of all of us with Parkinson’s. As we are all one with this disease no one is going to judge or ridicule you as we are all one. If there is anything like that just let someone know and it will be dealt with.
So lets make 2020 a year of unity and make living with Parkinson’s a joy for all of us by joining and helping each other. Until there is a cure we are the only thing each other have got.
John Scotter
John Scotter Blog 
Hi John, You raise an interesting point during the commemoration of your own landmark. I seem to have had a year not unlike your own. You have done well. Very well, in fact.
I would offer you this. Some people are helpers. Some people give of themselves and at their own cost, to the benefit of others. The others, not being givers, will take.
As a helper, which you are, try to be okay with the lack of response and evident interaction of those we, for I am a helper too, give to.
Others find reasons not to comment or to share something of themselves. Sometimes that is an intentional position but, as I suspect, in most cases, it simply does not occur to people to give back.; for they are not helpers.
To be a helper is a privileged position. We are serving our community, our society, our civilisation or even our species. To do this, we must learn an art form; the art of letting go. We must let go of our own need to be served. We must let go of our own need for a response from those we give to. We must simply accept that there is good in our transaction; the one sided transaction of giving to those who will not even acknowledge something in return for what they have received.
That is when giving becomes even more beautiful, for helpers are giving to those who may lack something, just as we may lack something of what these people have.
May respectfully suggest that you change your expectation and your needs; let go of them. Simply keep doing what you do so well. You are part of the structure that keeps humanity safe, well and protected. You nourish people’s souls.
You are a good man.
Keep doing what you do and be glad to be the helper, rather than the person who blindly needs the help.
Kindness, which you have in abundance, is a beautiful quality and far better to be the person giving the kindness, than to be a person blindly receiving kindness.
Thanks for your interesting blog post. Keep them coming. Never forget that many read and soak things up. That will influence greater kindness in the world that if you cease writing.
Dean.
Thanks for your words of wisdom Dean all taken on board.
john
Two typos! Shaky finger syndrome!