My younger brothers and sisters excelled in sports. Competitive swimming. Gymnastics. Hockey. Anything physical, they jumped on it. Me? Not so much. I didn’t have to, you see, because I was a Word Person. I thought up big ideas, read books, and daydreamed in bed, often staying up all night because I was a Word Person. Word People can do their work sitting down, even lying down.
Last June, though, two things happened. I turned seventy. That was okay with me. As they say, “age is just a number.” So what if I was a little tired? So what if I couldn’t do as much as I used to? So what if my hand shook a little when I didn’t want it to? I told myself these things are to be expected when you’re elderly.
But my doctor sent me to a neurologist who said it was a mild case of Parkinson’s. I shouldn’t panic, but I needed to make some lifestyle changes to slow down progression. The next day, I took all the medication. I turned into a vegan. I went to physical therapy, where they gave me exercises for cardio, balance, and strength. I had always prided myself on my flexibility on account of all the yoga (which many Word People do). I’m still a Word Person, but I’m in the best shape of my life. And I can write more words than ever.