Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

[Zuiko]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

Great starting shots for your project John.

I do hope you will find ways of including some lighter shots, even in frustration there must be opportunities for levity.

And this is a signifigantly different technical challenge from your excellent landscapes, what an opportunity to demonstrate new skills and ideas.

All the best.

Nick

Thanks Nick, excellent point about some lighter images, I don't want it to become too morbid and depressive. Maybe some humorous, self-depricating shots.....

[Zuiko]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

Some great responses so far guys and thanks for your encouragement for the project. Don't hold back on critisism or suggested improvements for the pictures themselves, though.

[LMGruchy]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

Linda, that's a great idea. I'll have to look out for some high density foam or similar - something reasonably firm that my ever-expanding rear won't sink in too deeply!

Thee are special ones you can buy but I can't remember where I saw them. They're specifically for the elderly but I find mine jusdt fab. (I got mine from a charity shop).

Not this one but like it.

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/280819027631?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla&crdt=0

or something like this.

http://www.clifford-james.co.uk/buy.cfm/home-furnishings/armchair-booster-cushions/68/yes/50987

Something that's portable too, if you go visiting etc.

[Zuiko]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

Thee are special ones you can buy but I can't remember where I saw them. They're specifically for the elderly but I find mine jusdt fab. (I got mine from a charity shop).

Not this one but like it.

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/280819027631?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla&crdt=0

or something like this.

http://www.clifford-james.co.uk/buy.cfm/home-furnishings/armchair-booster-cushions/68/yes/50987

Something that's portable too, if you go visiting etc.

Thanks for the links, Linda, it's given me some ideas to Google. I didn't think to visit sites that cater for the elderly, guess I don't see myself that way! Might as well get used to the idea, though. Perhaps I should look at incontinence pads at the same time!

I should also heed the old saying that many a true word is spoken in jest.

[LMGruchy]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

My eighty year old parents don't think of themselves as elderly and don't come across these things either. I only knew cushions like this existed because I found that one in the charity shop (It was unused which is a little sad really.)

[Phill D]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

John this definitely a worthwhile task and one I'm sure you'll do justice too. The noise in that first image is great as it is I wouldn't rush to reshoot it. This is obviously going to be a very personal project and so it should be as it will be all the more powerful for that. However maybe you should link up with some other help groups to see how you could exploit your project and as you say help raise awareness. You may end up doing more than one version say one that is just personal to you and another that possibly includes other sufferers who are perhaps worse off than yourself. As was said earlier you do need to consider the conclusion carefully and it will need some lighter moments. To me this has the potential to be very significant for other Parkinson's sufferers as well and I wish you the very best with it. Hang on to the book and film rights though.

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

That couch is criminally low.
The ones in my dad's living room are much higher and maybe less soft : he does absolutely fine with them. Don't torture yourself with awkward surroundings : change your blooming couch.
I don't like the first photo : it shows your flies, not your tremor. A better one would surely include a rickety table and a grasped cup of tea.

How about contrasting your post-Parkinson's activities with those of non-Parkinson's people, maybe overlay exposures or something?

[edmund473]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

Hello John. I look forward to seeing your photo's and I will follow this thread with interest
I also agree with the black and white medium to depict your situation, my Regards John R.

[maccabeej]

John, I noticed on the occasions we've met that you have struggled with the manifestations of Parkinson's. I have no idea of what it's like to be in your shoes but this seems a brave thing to do and I wish you every success. It may be difficult to do and I don't have any direct suggestions but something showing the social and psychological impact not just the physical may be worth considering. More power to you. Jim.

[Zuiko]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

That couch is criminally low.
The ones in my dad's living room are much higher and maybe less soft : he does absolutely fine with them. Don't torture yourself with awkward surroundings : change your blooming couch.
I don't like the first photo : it shows your flies, not your tremor. A better one would surely include a rickety table and a grasped cup of tea.

How about contrasting your post-Parkinson's activities with those of non-Parkinson's people, maybe overlay exposures or something?

Some good ideas there, Ulfric. Thanks for pointing out the issue with my flies - not the most appealing subject, I'm sure. Looks like a re-shoot in a different situation.

Good point about changing the couch, but the only way I can do that for the forseeable future is to sell my E-M5 and that ain't gonna happen! The rest of the family don't have a problem (although Debbie doesn't like it) so I think I'll investigate Linda's idea of a booster cushion first.

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

Linda, that's a great idea. I'll have to look out for some high density foam or similar - something reasonably firm that my ever-expanding rear won't sink in too deeply!

We had a stiffening pad for our old black leather sofa which made it nearly new and firmer seating again

John, also square blocks of wood at each corner (and maybe midway if you have feet there too) if you have round feet the square blocks (of the height increased desired) should have recesses - so the existing feet slot in and the sofa does not wobble over.

If you cannot do that, do not have a friend who can - send me photos of the feet and, details of shape and diameter - I shall ask Nick to make these for you (he always has "just that bit of wood; is a magician with a router" and marvelklous

[jamie allan]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

John,
I didn't know how to respond to your post initially - it made a real impact. After a night thinking about it what I really want to say is:-

What a project and what a strong image the first one is. Monochrome is perfect for the subject. Technically it may not be the perfect picture but emotionally it is. I could see that being used as a poster campaign for the Parkinson's UK. It really conveys a message.

I hope you will continue your project.

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

Good point about changing the couch, but the only way I can do that for the forseeable future is to sell my E-M5 and that ain't gonna happen! ...

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

John, I feel sstrongly that you MUST convey how family laughing at you, makes you feel I know so many people whose illness is worsened because of this and low self esteem - its criminal mental bullying and wears people down, from the inside out. Because its family - one puts up and shuts up - but their voice should be heard

This book should be marketed to families of those with this crippling illness and include ways and means of helping YOU to a more fulfilling day
x hugs your so not alone

[Jim Ford]

Re: Day After Day - Living With Parkinson's

A friend who lives a couple of doors away is a Parkinson's sufferer. He has the full range of visible symptoms - shuffling gait, hand tremors etc..

He's quite laid back and cheerful about it, I think partly because he goes to a support group of fellow sufferers. He always seems to have an amusing anecdote. Apparently Parkinson's sufferers have in common difficulties with going through doorways. The mind wills the body to go through the door, but the body becomes immobile. He said that a group of them at the centre wanted to take a lift. The doors opened but they all froze and none of them could get in. After a while, the lift doors closed and went to another floor without them!

Many years ago there was an excellent television programme by Jonathan Miller about a sufferer called Ivan, who wrote a book about his experiences. I see the book is still available:

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ivan-Living-With-Parkinsons-Disease/dp/0374178437[/ame]


Jim