Yesterday morning, Laurie asked me if I wanted to hike up Goose Rock. As it had been two and a half hours since my first dose of Crexont (about 550 mg Levadopa, totaling 2600 to 2700 mg Levadopa daily), I wasn’t exactly champing at the bit to go, but hiking seemed to be within the realm of possibility; had I been in the depths of being off, the mere thought of hiking would have been overwhelming.
By the time we left the house, I was almost too dyskinetic to drive, indicating that I was slightly overdosed, but feeling better by the minute. As we approached the start of the hike, I made my best guess on how early to take the day’s second Crexont dose.
This is always a bit of a crapshoot; the variables that go into the decision are varied and they change throughout the day. But, making the decision four times a day helps make you get pretty good at it. I lucked out yesterday and nailed my meds timing perfectly for the 2.5-mile hike. I even had the energy to take the boat out a few hours later.
Doing things you don’t have to do, aka challenges, are not just good for Parkinson’s. Challenges are good for the soul. There is an argument to be made that they are the essential elements that bring meaning to life.
I would tend to agree.