William

My name is Bill Gilleece. I was diagnosed in 2007 @ the age of 51. I am an Occupational Therapist and over the years worked with clients suffering from Parkinson’s. My father & an uncle both had PD. So I knew what to expect ( I thought)! It was quite a surprise to learn Parkinson’s Disease is not just motor and balance problems(as I sit here wearing incontinence pants trying not drool on my keyboard wondering if I’ll sleep tonight ). No wonder my mother had such a hard time taking care of my dad by herself. So I immediately got out my bucket list and thanked God for the challenge and started knocking down my list. Over the next 5 years I went to Hawaii & caught a marlin, did 2 triathlons(sprints), earned my Black Belt in Taekwondo,(see APDA newsletter 7/31/12), acted in several plays, & a variety of other activities. I wanted to show my 3 boys that with Faith & perseverance & hard work you could do just about anything you wanted.

About 2 years ago the specialist began talking Atypical Parkinson’s Disease or maybe MSA and suddenly Parkinson’s Disease seemed like a gift. I was having extreme drops in blood pressure and blacking out .It’s been a more rapid decline since then but I’m still responding to sinemet. The off periods and the immobility drive me crazy. I’ve got 3 sons 13,16,18 that all pitch in to help me. I’ve got a fantastic wife who runs the whole show & works 6 days per week. I’ve got friends from AA & TKD who help me. I started a blog (gilleecew.com). My life is still blessed. God has just given me a new path to walk(wobble).