I am writing this post from the dining room table of my mother's home, in Cleveland, where it has been snowing all morning. The weather change is one of the many shocks to my system this week. An unexpected call from my older brother last week, two days before I was to leave on an educational cruise with the Parkinson's Research Foundation, has turned my life a bit upside down . My mother successfully went through surgery earlier in the week to remove a malignant mass from her colon, and, having been declared "cancer free" by her physician, we are now, as a family, trying to figure out how to make her discharge from the hospital a safe one. As my brothers and I discuss options, she is already, stubbornly refusing to consider any plan other than her own, which includes returning to her own home, where she lives alone.
Even though I have spent the last 20 years in SW Florida interacting with my own patients, mostly older men and women, counseling them about the best and safest course of action when disease or illness has been interjected into their life, it is quite different when you are advising your own parent. Apparently, it is also different when advice come from your own children. So, currently my mother is stubbornly adhering to some autonomous choices, that in our opinion are laden with potential risks. We warn, caution, and threaten in much the same way a parent speaks to their teenage children about poor choices, and still, my mother resists.
As, I try to process the array of emotions and thoughts this week has ushered in, I am now also contemplating how to possibly honor my mother's life journey, set healthy boundaries, and keep her out of harm's way. I have been surprised this week how many friends and even strangers on the plane have been so ready to share their own stories about caring for their parents, and I realize how much this process is a part of our shared humanity.
I am a little scared about what the coming weeks and months have in store for my mom and for us as a family, but, my own decisions will be guided by a faith I have in the universe to guide and support us all to right action. This morning, while going through some boxes in my mother's basement, I came upon a book, I read many years ago: Love is Letting Go of Fear. I have already earmarked one of the pages, which states: Other people do not have to change for us to experience peace of mind. I can already see that 2012 is going to bring some new lessons into my life.
Even though I have spent the last 20 years in SW Florida interacting with my own patients, mostly older men and women, counseling them about the best and safest course of action when disease or illness has been interjected into their life, it is quite different when you are advising your own parent. Apparently, it is also different when advice come from your own children. So, currently my mother is stubbornly adhering to some autonomous choices, that in our opinion are laden with potential risks. We warn, caution, and threaten in much the same way a parent speaks to their teenage children about poor choices, and still, my mother resists.
As, I try to process the array of emotions and thoughts this week has ushered in, I am now also contemplating how to possibly honor my mother's life journey, set healthy boundaries, and keep her out of harm's way. I have been surprised this week how many friends and even strangers on the plane have been so ready to share their own stories about caring for their parents, and I realize how much this process is a part of our shared humanity.
I am a little scared about what the coming weeks and months have in store for my mom and for us as a family, but, my own decisions will be guided by a faith I have in the universe to guide and support us all to right action. This morning, while going through some boxes in my mother's basement, I came upon a book, I read many years ago: Love is Letting Go of Fear. I have already earmarked one of the pages, which states: Other people do not have to change for us to experience peace of mind. I can already see that 2012 is going to bring some new lessons into my life.
Dr. Jane Semple, MA, ND is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing out of Cleveland, OH. A few years ago, she cured herself of Parkinson Disease symptoms using safe, all natural methods. Dr. Semple founded the Alternative Healing Institute to bring training for alternative therapies to individuals and medical professionals. She develops and teaches continuing education courses for those in the medical field. Dr. Semple is an active member of the American Naturopathic Medical Association, the Association of Nutritional Consultants, American Botanical Council and Coalition for Natural Health. She has authored several Woodland titles, including Alzheimer Disease, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol & Inflammation, Fertility, HPV and Cervical Dysplasia,Parkinson Disease and Influenza: Epidemics, Pandemics and Bird Flu. Her book Parkinson's Disease: A Naturopathic Approach can be purchased at www.amazon.com and www.woodlandpublishing.com. Her website is www.mynsp.com/drjanesemple/index.aspx. She also has a You Tube video explaining about Parkinson's Disease. It can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eechjGu9Hec.
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