Parkinson's, My First Four Years

I have written extensively about all of the subjects in this first paragraph. It is necessary for me to repeat them in order for me to tell this story. I will not be expounding on any of them other than when necessary. My name is David Dyer, I am 72 years old, and yes Dr Wayne Dyer, author of "Your Erroneous Zones" and many other best sellers is my brother. I was in the Army for 21 years and retired in 1982. I met my wife Janet in 1985 and my son David-Scott was born in 1986. I have been an alcoholic most of my adult lifetime. I had never been much of a church goer and never considered myself to be a religious person. IO incurred this disease called Parkinson's at the age of 68 and began writing at the age of 69.
With all that being said let's get on with this story. In August of 2007, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. I researched this disease and discovered that it was not only incurable but that my condition would only worsen as time goes by. My immediate thoughts were of complete denial. I continued drinking. The medication was not working and if anything it seemed to have a negative affect when combined with alcohol. It took most of one year, some personal counseling and nine magical words from my brother, Wayne, "Do not die with your music still in you," for me to tell my Vietnam story.
I finally revealed those harrowing experiences that I had concealed within e for the past 37 years. After doing so it frelt like a ton ofd bricks had been lifted from me. At this point I'd been a year into Parkinson's. My physical condition has shown no improvement but mentally I felt so much better after writing my Vietnam story.
Let's go back to those words incurable and worsen for a moment. "Janet, I am writing a story and don't want to take time out right now. Would you get the dictionary and tell me how Webster defines the word worse? "Certainly," she said, I'll get back to that soon. Soon after writing that story, David-Scott and I visited the Vietnam Memorial or "The Wall" in Washington, DC. While there, I vowed to give up alcohol completely. (It is not three years later and I am still "On the Wagon.).
"David, Janet began, "The meaning of the word worse is bad, harmful or unpleasant." "Thank you, Dear," I replied. Throughout our lives Wayne has often told me that I've always had this writing ability within me. Whatever was in me would always have a secondary effect to the alcohol which seemed to always have complete control of me.
After going on the wagon the lack of alcohol kept me awake at night. I soon realized that I did not need all that sleep and I began writing during those early morning hours. What could be bad, harmful or unpleasant about that?
Now let's go to October of 2008, where at Wayne's Seminar I would meet a girl named Connie. Connie has a personal story that probably would dwarf mine. Her story has yet to be written. I use the word yet in hopes that some day I will be able to do so. Connie is a Yoga instructor and today almost three years later I continue along with Janet with our weekly Yoga sessions. At the beginning she marveled at the way my Vietnam story was written and wanted to see more of my writing. She told me "David, you are a writer." She then added the words "writer's write." I began writing one story after another. She seems to be touched by just about everything I write and her inspiration deeply touches me. Bad? Harmful? Unpleasant?
To date I have written close to fifty of these short stories, mostly inspirational stories about family and friends. I also have written a book which is yet to be published titled "My Brother, Wayne and I."
In these past four years since incurring Parkinson's, I have made four trips to Florida to visit my Mother. The most recent being this past April. How could I be so lucky to be able to visit my Mother at the age of 72 and take her to dinner and watch a baseball game with her as we celebrate her 95th birthday.
I also want to mention here that I have come to realize and truly believe that there is a God within me. There is no way I woulde have stopped drinking on my own. I tried too many times to no avail. As Parkinson's was entering my body the alcohol was slowly exiting. I thank you my God for allowing me to survive another 40 years since Vietnam and to begin writing at the age of 69. This brings me to what I call my signature four line poem.
When I vowed to give up alcohol
Which was my life long crutch
I was given a brand new life
It became my time to touch
Bad? Harmful? Unpleasant? Now that it's been the better part of four years since Parkinson's I believe I have completely dispelled to word "worse." If you don't believe it's completely gone you certainly will when you read what I'm about to write as I close this story.
As I said in the first paragraph of this story, I retired from the Army in 1982 after 21 years. I'm not going to reveal any dollar amounts but my retirement pension was 52 per cent of my active duty pay. That of course was not enough to live on even though I was single at the time. For the next 29 years I continued to receive cost of living increases. Now along with social security that seemed to provide me with a livable retirement income.
Recently the Veterans Administration determined that Parkinson's Disease is connected to this substance called "Agent Orange" which was used to flush out the enemy in Vietnam. Since there was this connection the VA has awarded me what is called Combat Related Specialty Pay. That, coupled with my retirement pay has doubled my retirement compensation overnight. Bad? Harmful? Unpleasant?
So this has been my life since incurring Parkinson's. Since I've done away with thew word "worse," I look forward at the age of 72 to seeing what the next four years may bring. First I'll ask Janet to look up another word for me. That would be "incurable."