Davis Phinney, the winningest cyclist ever who is now living with Parkinson's disease, refers to the group of us who are also living with PD as his tribe. Even though it affects each of us differently, we share something so profound, so fundamental, that we feel a kinship.
Last weekend we had houseguests. Debbie and her husband Michel are Canadians whom we met in Montreal (at the World Parkinson Congress in 2013). Debbie is living with Parkinson's. She is more disabled than I; she walks with difficulty, and her voice is so quiet as to be difficult to understand. But I understood her and felt a bond unlike any other. She is part of my tribe. We can help others in our tribe even by just understanding. I am grateful for my fellow tribespeople who care for and understand me.
Last weekend we had houseguests. Debbie and her husband Michel are Canadians whom we met in Montreal (at the World Parkinson Congress in 2013). Debbie is living with Parkinson's. She is more disabled than I; she walks with difficulty, and her voice is so quiet as to be difficult to understand. But I understood her and felt a bond unlike any other. She is part of my tribe. We can help others in our tribe even by just understanding. I am grateful for my fellow tribespeople who care for and understand me.
