Jun 8, 2018
SOUTH BERWICK, Maine Michelle Richards, 48, went through a lot of stress with family deaths and everyday life challenges. As she walked her child to Central School, years ago, her leg gave out on the way home.
I thought, ‘that is weird,’ but Ive always been kind of clumsy, and I got tall really quick when I was young,said Richards. Five years before that, I was a banker and loved it, but I had issues with my arm and we thought it was just from banking. It wasnt. She had Parkinsons disease at 41.
Ralph Hyson, an avid golfer, and Kittery letter carrier for more than 30 years, is 55 and found out last year that he had Parkinson’s. I had tremors in my right hand and I was dragging my right leg. My wife noticed some changes and said I should get it checked out. My dad had Parkinsons for 16 years, but we dont know if its hereditary; a very few percentage of people have Parkinsons thats hereditary,Hyson said.
Gary Parmley is 66 and doesnt have tremors, but he does have Parkinson’s disease. Since Parmley doesnt shake, people often think he doesnt have it.
Its embarrassing for me,said Parmley. “I have trouble finishing sentences and forget things. I was diagnosed three years ago. I had a real bad spell where I just stood in the kitchen one night and shook all over. I couldnt stop. They took me to the hospital and they thought I was having a stroke.
No one thought I had Parkinsons. It kept happening to me and I was shaking at one time, but not much. I finally went to this other neurologist and he said I had it. The secret was he had me hold my hands up and he just barely touched me and I fell over backwards.
The three have more than a disease in common. They all live in South Berwick and are working together to put on a golf fundraiser to help people. The golf tournament called Putts Fore PD is a Team Fox event benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research and is being held at the Links at Outlook Golf Course in South Berwick June 24.
Parkinson’s affects Richards, Hyson and Parmley differently, as it does with all people who have it. There is no cure, but there is aggressive research being done, especially with the help of the Fox Foundation. That organization gets support from Team Fox events such as Garys Putts Fore PD. Local grassroots community fundraisers all over the world, such as this one, raise money for research and possible treatments.
When the trio was asked whether they went through depression when diagnosed, they said depression and anxiety were big, but everyone deals with it differently.
Its a pride thing with all of us, I think,” said Richards.From what I know about New Englanders, you pull yourself up by your bootstraps and dont have a pity party. You just keep going.
Parmley had a real challenge after his diagnosis. They took my license away from me,he said. That about killed me. The only time I really have trouble right now is when I sleep. I dream and I act those dreams out. Just recently I had one and I was standing at the edge of the bed and I was getting ready to take a nose dive. We move pillows all around for when I jump out of bed.
It bothers me when people dont think I have the disease because I dont have the same symptoms as others. I walk 8 to 10 miles a day,said Parmley.
Thats so important to stay active,” Hyson said. “This whole Putts Fore PD is a metaphor. When you get diagnosed you are told to keep moving. Youre also told to not set yourself in a corner to be socially inactive because you need to keep your mind active. The disease can take your whole self worth away
Hyson said he had done golf fundraisers before for local youth groups and after his father died, he knew he wanted to do something.
The golf tournament of 144 players is sold out. We want to get this word out to keep people moving,said Hyson. “Wed like to see people with Parkinsons come down and have a class or something; get connected physically and socially. Eventually, Id like to see this thing grow nationwide and not be just a local effort
Parmley touched on the support he has had. “I dont really talk to people about this and dont know many people who have it, but I have a large family and they are right there for me. Ive gone off the deep end a few times and theyve been right there.
For information about Putts Fore PD, visit www.facebook.com/events/231471294287959. Want to Maine residents with Parkinson’s disease? Recycle through Maine Parkinsons Societys Clynk Program. For details, visit www.maineparkinsonsociety.org/clynk-bags/.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180608/trio-fighting-parkinsons-with-golf-tourney
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