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The Look



Today I got "the look" again when I mentioned to someone that I have PD.  The pause, the brow crinkle and this confused, uncomfortable, pity look.  If you have ever shared your really bad news with someone, you may have seen "the look." Many people don't know what to say when you tell them something like this and hence, "the look."  They don't know how to react and often cut out of the conversation quickly.

Guess what?  It's ok.  Most people don't know how to react and "the look" is something that just happens.  Today, I got a nice surprise.  The person that gave me "the look" asked me if it was ok if he asked me about my PD. We talked about my diagnosis and he wanted to know what I was doing for it because he couldn't tell I even had it. It was a great opportunity to educate him on PD and its current treatments (both traditional and alternative). I think I surprised him when I told him that it wasn't that bad and there were lots of worse things to have.  I let him know that prayer gets me through the day, that  I am doing well and fighting back. I'm happy to share my journey with others.  You never know what ripples you may cause when you share your journey... and most of us have journeys of one kind or another.  So next time you see "the look," try not to see it as something negative, but as an opportunity to educate and maybe even inspire.

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