Caitlin’s Story
No I’m not cold or drunk.
No I’m not nervous or scared.
Yes sometimes, more often than not I am shaking from my meds not working or twitching and convulsing as a side effect of the meds working. Yes I am ok. This is my baseline. I have Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease.
And this is my journey towards healing my body, mind and soul.
It was June, 2014 and I was 31 when the symptoms first appeared, a tremor in my right wrist, that quickly spread to a shaking hand and tightly cramped arm. I had just landed my dream job leading a corporate creative team plus I had just bought my first home with my soon to be husband. I waited another year to see a Movement Disorder Specialist that diagnosed me with a Parkinsonism.
As the years progressed it became incredibly frustrating when trying to do the most basic things like getting dressed, carrying a cup of tea or eating a meal. For the first 6 years I avoided social events, get-togethers or meeting up with old friends because I had been totally ashamed of my body and my lack of control over it. And really just didn’t want to try and explain what it was when I really hadn’t accepted what it was myself.
I now wear a multitude of hats, as most women do these days. I am a mom, wife, entrepreneur, creative director and advocate. I have spent a decade ‘leaving no stone unturned’. I have tried a multitude of alternative therapies and treatments, have had some really interesting experiences and met some incredible people along the way.
Some days are good and feel like I have the energy to accomplish so much and other days my energy is so low that I can hardly get out of bed. I had to come to terms with where I was at. Accept it, be ok with it. But I would never give up my deepest inner belief that there is a cure for this disease, we just haven’t figured it out yet.
I had always felt this deep inner knowing when the symptoms started years ago. It was this feeling that this was all a test. And if I could focus my energy and dive deep into understanding this disease and why it manifested in my body I could heal.
As a designer and creative it is in my nature to want to solve the problem. I am keenly driven by the innate desire to finding the solution. This has helped to keep me motivated, when I have had a crap day or felt like my symptoms could be getting worse. I remind myself that this is just part of an incredible journey towards discovering a cure and I am so honoured to be able to be here to experience it.
There isn't enough awareness about how Parkinson's affects women.
Through my own research and hearing from many other women with PD who struggle with symptoms correlated to our menstrual cycle, I realized the importance of creating Pretty Dope Women. And that’s what got me started.
This is about more than empowerment; it's about ensuring that the distinct experiences of women with Parkinson's are seen and understood. My dive into research was sparked by the stark lack of awareness regarding the disease's unique effects on women, particularly how our symptoms interweave with our menstrual cycles. The narratives shared by countless PD women have been a driving force behind the creation of "Pretty Dope Women."
My purpose is clear: to narrate my life as a PD Woman with unflinching honesty.
By doing so, I aspire to encourage others to acknowledge their reality openly and embark on a path to healing. Our collective voices and shared knowledge have the power to illuminate the specific obstacles women encounter with Parkinson's. Together, we strive toward not only heightened awareness but also a solution… A CURE.
