Christa

Christa was happily working on her business, creating holiday tours of Greece, when she noticed she wasn’t walking properly. Little did she know, it would take more than two years of doctors’ visits and tests to get a diagnosis. After doing her own research on the Internet, she asked the doctor, “Could it be Parkinson’s”? In 2006, Christa was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at the age of 47 and started treatment immediately for her symptoms. 

Although she continued to work on her business in Greece, Christa became more fatigued and decided it was time to have an honest, critical look at her life. This was the beginning of big changes for her. Through introspection and deep soul-searching, Christa began to feel as though Parkinson’s disease had given her an opportunity to possibly validate what had gone wrong in her personal life and change it. Feeling empowered with this realization, she did just that. For the first time in her life she took care of herself and nobody else.

Along the way, Christa discovered that physical activity and movement are very important to both her body and soul. The psychological impact of having Parkinson’s is so big, she believes great care must be taken to try and keep both the body and mind in balance. She also made the connection that it is much easier to manage the disease by speaking out about it. In the first years after her diagnosis, she was so ashamed she tried to hide her symptoms, which only created more stress. Although PD is still difficult for her to accept, it is easier for her to talk about it and that has reduced her stress.

Another positive aspect of her path toward self-discovery while living with the disease is that Christa has discovered she has new talents. Like many other people with PD, she started to paint, play a musical instrument, and dance. Sometimes she wonders if doing these enjoyable things now is somehow preparing her to say good-bye to them later. In the meantime, she is learning to be more patient with herself by accepting that it is okay to do some things tomorrow when she doesn't have the strength to do them today.

For now, Christa has returned to work and is leading hiking groups in Greece four or five times a year. She also developed a special tour to the beautiful Greek island Samos for people with Parkinson’s disease, their relatives, and partners.

Christa sums-up her perspective on living positively with PD as follows:

“With tasks which give satisfaction, with enough sleep, with regular sport and exercise, activity for body and soul; with healthy food, with the right medication and medical care, and without negative stress, it is possible to get the most out of life—one with more awareness than before.

Accepting the disease is a long process, maybe a never-ending one. But to live well with it, you have to find your own way. Although we are all different, I am sure that for me, I am on the right path to self-discovery. I feel very good emotionally, even better than before, and it is my hope that others will find their way too”.