How My Morning Routine Has Changed Because of PD
Mornings look quite different than they used to.There is no such thing as waking up, jumping out of bed, and then hopping in the shower.
There is no get up and go. Instead, mornings move slowly. The process of getting ready for the day takes much longer. I need an extra hour to get ready. I need to come to life before getting ready.
Every movement is made with intention. The process starts at 6:30 am with maneuvering to the edge of the bed and sitting there for a minute. Before standing, I silently do the first exercise of the LSVT-Big sequence. I gather my phone and water before turning off my bedside fan while opening Scout’s crate, if we actually shut the door. I start shuffling to the kitchen. I shuffle to my slippers in the dining room and grab hold of my server or door frame to put my slippers on while being grateful for having solid furniture that I was able to refinish from the Salvation Army. I continue on to the kitchen. Lulu and Scout are now following me, as I let them out into our fenced in backyard. Dogs are smart, or maybe it’s because we have border collies.
They stay behind me. It’s like they are aware of my instability. I leave the pups outside and grab a can of Polar Tart Cherry Limeade seltzer on my way over my pills. I fish the carbidopa/levodopa immediate release out of the mix, chew it, and swallow it with seltzer. I then grab the rest of the morning pills out of my pillbox and take my 5 other morning pills.
I shuffle to let the dogs back in and give them each their bully stick. I shuffle through the kitchen, through the dining room, and into the living room. I make my way to living room to continue the “coming to life” process.The process starts by first laying on the couch. I set the timer on my watch for 20 minutes. More often than not, my eyes are closed. Until my meds kick in, I’m ridiculously exhausted and my eyelids feel like they weigh a thousand pounds. When the first 20 minutes are up, I sit up and turn on the lamp in the living room and our light for seasonal affective disorder bright light therapy. I set my timer for another 20 minutes while checking emails that I’m not ready to respond to yet, even if I could do it effectively. My hands and feet start moving. I circle my ankles and wrists. I start rolling my shoulders. It’s so exaggerated that my entire body moves with each roll.
When my timer goes off, I now get up with ease and walk quickly to the bathroom to shower. My walk is now coordinated. I am swinging my arms and taking real steps. I have come to life. My YOPD motor symptoms are now under control…at least for a few hours.