Reality Show Fatigue

I detest reality shows. I find them to be trivial and downright boring. So, I don't watch them. I admit to watching the first couple of seasons of Survivor and American Idol but totally lost interest. Anyway, I read in today's paper that the winner of The Amazing Race Canada has parkinson's. He is only 48 years old, but $500,000.00 richer. He was diagnosed about the same time as I was - 3 years ago. It's good to hear that one of the tribe is succeeding at holding his own against PD while beating non-parky contestants.

The article also contained some good news/bad news. I will give you the bad news first.

"A jerky gait, tremors, ticks and a paralysis-like stiffening of joints eventually renders sufferers unable to walk or eat".

Are you trying to cheer me up? Sure the inability to walk or eat might be the end game but, most of us will be dead before we lose those abilities and in the meantime, current or developing drugs will let us have a decent life. PD took out Ali after 25 to 30 years and I plan to die within 20 years (I am 67), so I fret more about all the technology I am going to miss (when I become a part of the ether) than I do about not being able to feed myself. So lose the negativity lady reporter.

However, the reporter also reported some good news, "Patients who do 3 hours a week of cardiovascular exercise for a year can expect to score 30% better on a medical scale that measures the severity of Parkinson's symptoms compared with sedentary patients...". Well, I've got that one covered so I am good to go.

We just don't know who is going to deteriorate quickly or who is hardly going to notice the condition. That is the reality.

But,as Albert Einstein said:Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

Watch Michael J. Fox tonight while you do your treadmill workout.