Getting People to wear a crazy looking coat and have their picture made in it!
This is how it started:
I was 40 years old living a good life and married 17 years to the same guy. I was able to live in our hometown of Johnson City, I had a great job i loved with people I loved’ I was involved at church, taking martial arts with the fam, and keeping up with a super daughter who was 9 years old. Then i started having some goofy health problems, and in Nov 2002 sat in a neurologist's office and heard these words: "You have Parkinson's disease". GULP...well...alot has gone on since then.
One of which is me and this coat, affectionately called 'da coat'. I bought it because I thought it was so bright and pretty and a steal at 90% off retail (a 'designer named' coat at Big Lots at $15! ) We could use it at church in a play...or I could send it to kid's summer church camp for them to use! If my daughter had only had my same sense of 'style' this whole thing would not have been. Funny how God uses ordinary things to do extraordinary things though, huh? for some special reason gives such a feeling of coolness when it is worn. Plus, it drives my dear daughter crazy. My picture wearing the coat is included in the book “Proud Hands of Parkinson’s’ along with my story about living with Parkinson’s disease.
Because she despised seeing that coat, it became my mission to show her that she was wrong. I was going to get people to put it on and even have their picture made in it. And somewhere along the way, some of my Parkinson's disease friends really took up with this coat, wearing it, feeling the love, smiling or at least letting me take their picture in it. Telling people a little about Parkinson's as I continued my quest to convince my daughter of her lack of fashion style became a fun pastime. And then other people would see 'da coat pics I would post online. I even started mailing it to a few people in the USA. They could have the coat as long as they took their pic in it and used it in some way to tell people about PD.
In 2009, I even asked a member of The Regulars to take 'da coat with them to the highest point in Africa (19,300 ft) as part of their efforts to raise funds and awareness for PD and Alzheimer's. She did and the coat is seen in the trailer for the documentary film released in 2010 called "10 Mountains 10 Years" and mentioned in the commentary of the movie. 'Da coat is also seen in a book "Proud Hands of Parkinson's Disease," and has gotten numerous mentions in blogs by people with PD. There is even a piece of it in heaven because I put a small square of it in my mom's casket. She was my greatest supporter, and friend that I could have in my journey with Parkinsons’s disease. And my mom made so many people smile and feel good, and that is what 'da coat does too--it makes you smile,. It gives good vibes. It is fun. I had tried to send 'da coat to a new home on the west coast in the summer of 2011. It stayed awhile but my friend wanted me to have it back for a special time in Oct.
It is no longer my coat ....it is 'da coat that has grown to not only bring awareness to Parkinson’s disease but due to meeting some wonderful people also associated with The Regulars, it has become an awareness item for Alzheimer’s disease.
Learnings from the Coat
I thought I’d tell you some things that my outlandishly, stand-outish, 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.
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? Yep, in a way!
When I thought about it …wearing ‘da coat kind of parallels having Parkinson’s. The symptoms eventually make us stand out; we may be ridiculed by others for standing out in such an unusual way. 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….. But while I’m standing out, I’m 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 of me (or my personality) or a way I am recognized–as a really crazy parkie lady! I even had my picture in the coat and a clown wig included in a published book called “Proud Hands of Parkinson’s” that includes stories of 28 people whose lives have been impacted by Parkinson’s. I’ve subtitled my personal page after getting my copy of the book “Proud Coat of Parkinson’s” lol. One author, Pam Spence, has written about ‘da coat in her book called “Glad Rags, Inspiring Clothes and the Women Who Wear Them ( EWH Press 2014).
Wearing this wild coat has a close personal association for me of wearing the illness called PD in my life. My PD is unique to me and I’m learning to be more comfortable in it. It all takes time to cope with it and that is not possible without support from others. 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 jewelry, 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 the 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.
Can you see my point? The coat is not just one dimensional; it encompasses many feelings and emotions —just like having PD does!.
Since I started sharing the coat with others and letting them ‘feel the love’ it brings to each, it has brought a unique camaraderie to those who have worn the coat. ’Da coat often brings a smile to one’s face as they try to recall just why they would ever don such a coat and let Judy take their picture in it! It provides a chance to smile in the middle of an otherwise dreary illness or day. It is something out of the ordinary and quite fun to do…wear ‘da coat and strike a pose!
And one of it’s most important attributes is, that it gives you liberty to talk back to PD…and say ‘see you dumb disease? …you cannot make me feel any goofier than putting on this coat does!’ (I have no idea what it lets people that don’t have PD say…except “why am I doing this?” LOL).
So that’s what I think ‘da coat has shown me in the time we have shared. I cannot tell you how much fun I have had seeing others put it on or drape it over their shoulder and smile while I snap their picture. There are a few people who I know who have refused to wear the coat, but I just tell them, “your loss!” Who would have ever thought I’d have so much fun from a wild, outlandishly looking coat that I bought for $7.50?
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Poem by Judy Hensley:
Just what is all the ruckus over 'da coat? by Judy Hensley 3/30/09
One day in 2005, I went into a discount store
my eye was caught by colorful coats by the door
I looked at the tag and gasped at the original retail price
and then I thought "at $15, this 90% discount is really nice!"
So I shelled out the cash and took the gorgeous coat home
and planned to wear it when I deemed the time was right
the day Carol left for church camp one summer seemed the time for all the coat to see
and on that debut day,the bright multicolored coat started it's remarkable journ--ey
My daughter, Carol, was of course most horribly ashamed
of her mother and this new 'show-off 'da coat' game
She begrudgingly took the coat to camp for all of them to enjoy that week
and planned it's demise so that there would be no coat repeats!
I gave her permission (she did at least call to ask) allowing her to let the coat stay
she seemed so sincere but I liked the coat so I headed to a discount store in another city that very day
to see if they had more of the incredible coats and found them marked half down
so I was able to get another coat and greet her in it when she got home...only to see her smile replaced by a frown.
It became my mission to show my daughter
that 'da coat is special and she was the only doubter
so I've asked many friends at church and other places
to join in some fun and put on 'da coat and make big smiley faces!
I soon began to wonder if my obsession with this coat could be due to my PD
so I took 'da coat on a trip to a PD conference to see.
Some of my Parkie friends were skeptical of it's power
but when they saw others put it on, their mind was changed in less than an hour.
This coat now has a life of it's own
if you get a chance to put it on, then just do it ..you'll see
it feels wonderful, it's so bright and cheery, you'll have to also put on a smile
and let me take your picture to show everyone it was worthwhile.
What once was "Judy's coat" is now referred to as 'da Coat
because it is no longer mine but it represents a community of mine
of family, friends, and men and women with Parkinson's disease
who are not afraid of having some fun--thank you, try it on, please!
In July 09 'da coat accompanied Strong Feather Eileen of The Regulars
as that team climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa to raise awareness of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease
I waited at home to hear if they got to the summit hoping it was to be
Knowing in my heart that i was a part of their mission they were
Heroes to pepple like me
You see they knew that 'together we work for a cure'....
Me, you, kids, friends and many others who live ordinary lives
All making an extraordinary difference in our future
by doing something bold and courageous, to help us not only live with a new hope but... survive!
'da Coat has traveled near and far
it's been worn by people, animals, statues, and even a couple of preach'ars
and I've got over more than 400 pictures of the occassions to help me remember the joy
and although my daughter still does not like 'da coat, it will not stop my ploy
to share some fun along each of our pathways
and help us to not take life too serious....Come on!!!... enjoy the little things each and every day!
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If you have worn the coat and would like to tell how it made you feel, I'd like to share it with others in a selfish effort to bring awareness to Parkinson's disease! Thanks,Judy Hensley ....a gal living in Tennessee diagnosed with Young onset Parkinson's disease, still determined to endure for a cure!
me with a friends convertible Miata in California 2009.
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