However, my life would change in a short time – do you hurt your leg? He did not understand a question – my answer? – Was another question – why? is rare as you walk by dragging his leg. I had not noticed that detail, but I remembered that in recent days whenever the exercise routine performed with the group, my left side did not respond the same way, it was like slow motion, I thought I was very tired so I gave no importance, and immediately to this question I went to the doctor and he sent me to orthopedic and from that moment I started my walk in different specialties, over the next year I went to rheumatology, neurology, Angiology, neurosurgery, internal medicine, without any result. During this time I suffered from states of depression, who controlled with medication, did not understand what happened to me, the physical pain was unbearable resorted to all kinds of alternative medicine that I recommended, acupuncture, orthomolecular, homeopathy, chiropractic, biological and other so that be so rare I do not remember the names, but gave me no results, only lost time, money and most importantly hope, thought I was going to die soon or end up in bed unable to move, our despair is such we turn to what we recommend or even suggest the risk of further damage to our body.

It may seem incredible but not so impromptu get my second pregnancy, completely different from the first, a high-risk pregnancy, multiple sclerosis diagnosis possible, with all the risks involved in giving life to accept it, my family wanted to stay together, I understand the comments from family and friends surprised by this decision, and the danger they put my life and my baby, but I had boundless confidence in God and I knew my baby would be born well, I had to pay a high price for my pregnancy I could not take medicine, pain control and suffering was at that moment my situation was reaching critical disability almost could not walk and spent his time locked in my house, miraculously stopped momentarily pregnancy progression of the disease and eight months after my daughter was born healthy, low weight but with no problems, my little miracle had arrived.

And so, after two years came the diagnosis, in the most simple and illogical, if I remember it seems absurd to me, a simple comment unleashed a diagnosis. My situation was so serious that they were on the verge of retiring by disqualification but there was a problem he had no diagnosis, rule out multiple sclerosis, the term was left hemiparesis (loss of muscle strength) but it was not enough, so the doctor would put a behalf of my condition.

- Dr. Know long my hair always looks dirty, greasy, I can not wash a single day, looking at me, his face lights up – what has the same problem in the face? Ask the neurologist and continues a series of questions and tests with arms and legs and half an hour later, “I think it’s Parkinson’s but to be safe is to take this medicine and should see improvement in three days.

I did not give importance to the name of the disease seemed so unlikely, after all these studies it seemed impossible that a simple review to uncover my bad, but the next day I feel the change I can move a bit more if I have a diagnosis and Parkinson! A mixture of feelings confuse me, a part of me was glad, at last! two years after an opinion, but a feeling of anguish came “Parkinson? But I have only 37 years not 60.

When I received the diagnosis I was so upset with the doctors after two years Parkinson, was too young for this, my first memory of Pope John Paul II and think that she felt sorry and sad about his illness and was about to live the same, I was completely scared and did not want to live, would not live that way, I do not think he could cope with this weight. I was an independent woman, a professional with many goals, wanted to pursue a doctorate, my daughters and a baby girl five years, how was going to care? Do not react when I am in shock I could not understand at all, not size the type of illness that I faced as they pass the days crying, hurting, kicking and enter into a process of acceptance, after all there is alternative.

At first it is very difficult to go outside because you think everyone will see or reach some places can be stressful, especially when they do not respect the disabled parking spaces or park on the ramps.

I remember how at the beginning of the disease experience feelings of insecurity and shame, shame I was walking through the corridors and concourses of the university with that gait was ungainly small steps with great effort and feeling all those eyes on me from curious, with grief and other with scorn. I sure the women did not care what people will say, with a very personal style of dress, marketers in the end, norms and social patterns were totally indifferent to me, faltered, I lost my confidence, but only briefly, analyze it and my inner voice told me what’s your problem? Can not walk well? Then get a cane to help you, do not walk better but will give you confidence to avoid falling and stop feeling sorry for yourself. So my inner voice and I went to got a stick is black, much to my liking of those who are armed you can carry in your purse and use when I need it. And my insecurity disappeared, not the stick, simply because I decided to stop being afraid to be different.

You feel sad because the disease limits you, but now I realize that the most important things have always been there. My family, Parkinson I wander off my husband and my daughters, when not working, I spent time in bed exhausted, did not want to leave because I was always tired and that meant me out a great effort. Currently the effort is still the same but I do and I enjoy going out, walks, movies, family visits, the beach, do not get out much to the beach but it does not matter we had fun in the pool and my daughters are happy to spend time with me.

I like many a person with Parkinson’s disease early onset struggling every day with this disease, with goals, dreams and an unbreakable will, because of something I’m sure, I decide the kind of life I have (obviously with own symptoms of my illness), to where I want to go and how I live. The intruder as many call it with me, but he does not guide my life, God directs my life and I go by him and thank him because it allows me to enjoy life differently. Not going to say that from Parkinson am a better person or how much the Parkinson’s Disease (PD) has given me the EP only gives me pain, limitations and frustrations, it is people who give you wonderful things, your family, friends, colleagues they are.

At this moment my life is completely different, manage to overcome my fears and my illness I face every day, being degenerative and progressive, we take the time to the fullest, without worrying about living intensely on what may happen tomorrow, with our disease. God has been my strength and my best friend, since I started this test of life. Today I got a scholarship and study a PhD, the selection process was not easy but I got it, I have a full time job and do what I like to investigate. I believe that life presents us with opportunities to develop some skills that we did not consider, in my case dedicated to the research was an option for the limitations of my illness and I really enjoy this time.

Do not think that our life with PD or dash just simply change the format, but life is just as wonderful presents for everyone. I attend as a speaker at conferences, writes and publishes articles related to my area and for people with disabilities, I consider it a personal commitment, I perform the same functions as my co-workers in spite of fatigue, pain and my physical limitations I do it because my illness does not limit my mind, only my body and I have the right to live fully according to my dreams, my goals and the EP can stop, despite the lack of regulation and protection that must exist for people with this kind of conditions, I always stop and continued forward. Only remains for me to say I’m happy because I’m alive, I can write what I think and feel, and I can share with many people who love me and support me in particular, my family.