Jonathan Firmin was in his 30s when he realised things weren’t quite right. Now 48, he says that people were shocked by his diagnosis.
Back then, he started making T-shirts to help raise awareness about the disease. The slogans read “No need for electric toothbrushes” and “I make a perfect cocktail shaker.” He hoped it would break the ice when people saw him and open up a conversation, particularly in his remote-control racing shop.
“Most people were quite shocked to find out I had Parkinson’s – even some of my closest friends. Everyone has been really supportive.”
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition. It occurs when a small group of nerve cells in the brain no longer produce enough dopamine. This is a chemical that transmits messages from the brain to other parts of the body, enabling people to perform smooth, coordinated movements. Without enough dopamine, it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time.
“I was losing motion in my right hand. After a lot of tests and scans, it was confirmed I had Parkinson’s. When the neurologist told me, I was actually relieved. It was a shock to the system but it was also good that they had found out what was causing the paralysis. I was prescribed medication and I could get on with my life.”
He adds: “It has been quite challenging. If I am having a really bad morning, trying to hug my five-year-old can be difficult. The physical fatigue I suffer with is quite extreme. Most evenings when I get home from work, I need a nap.
Esta historia es de la edición April 12, 2024 de The Herald.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 12, 2024 de The Herald.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Van Gogh oil protest pair are jailed
TWO Just Stop Oil activists have been jailed for pouring soup over Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, after they came close to “destroying” the masterpiece.
Whittaker is wanted but happy to remain a Pilgrim
ARGYLE FORWARD HAS ASPIRATIONS TO PLAY HIGHER, BUT NOT JUST YET
How Argyle played a role in Merson taking Walsall job
EX-FOOTBALLER turned Strictly Come Dancing star Paul Merson made his name winning trophies with Arsenal and starring for England in the 1990s - but his ill-fated career as a manager proved less successful.
Coming home to an Albion win cured my holiday blues!
THANK goodness for that, we are finally back to enjoying the sweet taste of a home win, after sneaking a victory over Leicester Lions last weekend at the Brickfields Fortress.
Dame Maggie dies, aged 89
OSCAR-WINNING actress Dame Maggie Smith has died, aged 89.
Guitarist denies fatal crash charge
GUITARIST Josh Klinghoffer, a former Red Hot Chili Peppers member who has also played with Pearl Jam, has pleaded not guilty through his lawyer to a misdemeanour manslaughter charge over the death of a pedestrian.
Mary's magic will sweep you away!
THE cast has been announced for Disney’s Mary Poppins ahead of its arrival in Plymouth early next year.
Pension claims are up
PENSION credit claims have hit almost 75,000 amid Government efforts to boost benefits take-up.
Danger of Lebanon crisis 'escalating much wider'
THE continuing tensions between Israel and the militant Lebanese Hezbollah group present a risk of spiralling out of control, the UK Defence Secretary has said.
Diamond days after struggle
AFRICAN ADVENTURE ‘THE PERFECT TONIC'