The Coat that Could Part 3

Part 3--Learnings from the Coat

I thought I would write some things that my outlandishly wild coat has taught me. This is the coat that brings me great joy whenever I put it on or have a new friend put it on. Besides learning that my daughter thinks the coat is atrocious, I started thinking about how some people reaction to this bright coat and my suggestion to try it on has some parallels to a Biblical story and my chronic condition of PD.

 

First the coat is colorful and draws some attention, and it reminds me of the Bible story of Joseph and the coat of many colors his father gave him. And although I'm sure it was a treasured item because his father gave it to him, it caused some bad feelings with his brothers and ultimately was the straw that broke their backs. That coat brought Joseph adversity from his brothers; he ended up sold into slavery. He overcame that and became a personal servant of the queen only to end up in jail over a misunderstanding. He overcame that and became the right hand man of the ruler after interpreting a dream. All that started with the coat? Yes in a way.

 








When I thought about it ...wearing that coat kind of parallels having Parkinson's. The symptoms eventually make us stand out; we may be ridiculed by others for standing out in an such a way that we may not have much control over. But I'm here to tell you, PD may be an adversity we face, but we can turn it into an advantage in our lives if we just keep a positive attitude. My Parkinson's has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people; it has helped me move out of a comfort zone into an active roll in the effort to fundraise for a cure; and it has helped me become more attentive to life around me and more compassionate to others.

Next, the coat makes me stand out and gives me an opportunity to tell others why PD makes us stand out. It is at first an uncomfortable feeling you have from standing out when you put the coat on....kind of like when you first find out you have PD. You wonder how people will accept you. I've found people who really don't find the coat that appealing will still put it on as a form of acceptance for me. It also gives me a chance to tell them this may be the coat I have to wear for now, a disease I have to live with for now. I ask people to not ridicule people with handicaps that may cause them to have unwanted attention drawn to them, but to treat them with compassion and be helpful if you can.  While I may stand out in this coat or my illness, I am going to take the opportunity to tell people about PD and let them know what it's like, and hopefully they'll be more inclined to support a cure.

Third, the coat has become somewhat of a trademark or way I am recognized--as a really crazy Parkie lady! I had my picture taken wearing the bright coat and a clown wig to be included in a published book called "Proud Hands of Parkinson's" This book includes stories of 28 people whose lives have been impacted by Parkinson's. I've subtitled my own page in my book as "Proud Coat of Parkinson's". But I'm learning that like wearing this wild coat, my life with PD is unique to me and I'm learning to be more comfortable in it. I mean, just think of these other people who have trademark clothing or accessories and how well associated they have become with them: Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Greenjeans, Mr Rodger's and his cardigan, ELVIS--enough said, Mr. T and his pile of gold jewerly, Minnie Pearl and her hat with the hanging price tag, Barney Fife and his gun with no bullet, Granny and her long dress and spectacles from Beverly Hillbillies, and what about Tarzan and his loincloth, Daniel Boone and his coonskin hat, and Batman with his hooded face cover and those gloves and shoes? Soon to be added to the list: Judy with PD and the multicolored coat.