Diagnosis, confirmed
“The most important thing is not to kill yourself.”
Dr C told me in earnest.
Those were not the comforting words I was hoping to hear during my second trip to the neurological clinic. I was there to get a second opinion about the medical condition I’ve been diagnosed with — Parkinson’s Disease.
Dr C looked like he was in his forties. He was of average height and in good shape, but he had a booming voice which made him seem bigger than he actually was.
He had sounded reassuring when he was guiding me through more or less the same set of motions for the physical test. But his tone dipped as he recounted how a patient of his had committed suicide, leaving his wife and children inconsolable, because of depression. His patient hadn’t confided in him regarding his depressive episodes.
Dr C encouraged me to be honest about my anxieties and worries with the physician attending to me. He sounded like someone who blamed himself despite evidence on the contrary.
Then, as suddenly as he had launched into this story, his tone picked up, “Depression is treatable. Give science a chance before giving up.”
He didn’t make the link clear, but I knew from my Wikipedia research that a significant portion of patients with Parkinson’s Disease also suffer from depression and anxiety.
That was my second biggest takeaway from the consultation.
The first was he had confirmed the diagnosis.
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My name is Elrica. I am 35 years old and I have Parkinson’s Disease. This is part of a larger collection of writing that records my experience living with the neurological condition.
