“Balls to Parkinson’s”—or B2P for short—is my defiant response to a life-changing diagnosis.
Like Star Wars, I’m starting this saga in the middle, not in a ‘galaxy far, far way’, but in 2020 when I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. I hope future posts that reflect how I got to this point or how I move forward from it, will be as good as this first part, and I don’t disappoint my audience as much as George Lucas.
I was adamant: I wouldn’t be defined by the disease. I knew I had to stay active, mobile, and engaged to slow the advance of this degenerative uninvited guest. But as anyone living with it knows, that is easier said than done. As my brother neatly and positively put it when I told him of my impending doom, I just needed to get used to my “new normal”.
The “Meds at the Pub” Cycle
Parkinson’s frequently surprises you with a new symptom to “keep things interesting.” Just when you find a rhythm, your meds decide to take the morning off. For me, that means hours of shuffling between furniture and door frames in slow motion, fighting the creeping anxiety that maybe this time, the meds won’t kick back in.
Then, to my relief, the medication returns from the pub (or wherever it’s been hiding) and starts working again. The brain fog clears, my rhythm returns, and I convince myself Parkinson’s isn’t such a problem—until the cycle repeats. It is constantly one step forward, two steps back—or in my case, a minute of “freezing” while praying my legs catch up with my body before I hit the floor.
From a Restless Night to £30,000
One restless February night, fumbling for that comfy “sweet spot” in bed that I knew I couldn’t manoeuvre into anyway, I decided to pull myself together. I needed to get moving and get creative.
What followed was a summer of bike rides and events that raised nearly £30,000 for charity. I started this blog to document those efforts, but as the summer ended, the need for a creative outlet remained.
Welcome to Steady On
The B2P blog has now evolved into Steady On. This is where I satisfy my brain’s need for a creative stimulus and chart my journey through life, accompanied by Parkinson’s—my uninvited travel companion.
There is no set agenda here. Whether you’re at a similar career stage, a parent, or a fellow traveler with Parkinson’s, I’m glad you’re here. Like Luke, I’ve switched off my targeting system; let’s see where this goes.
Balls to Parkinson’s 