Life is full of surprises

[Butelczynski]

Originally Posted by Swampfox

My suggestion to all of you, build, enjoy life, your families, do things you’ve always wanted to do. You never know when your life will change forever.

Thanks for your time,

Swampfox/ Anthony Sanchez

I know what you mean.I live with what's described to me as "dormant thyroid cancer" since 2003, courtesy of Chernobyl disaster.Chances are I will outlive it but who knows.Life is too short to spend it being mad at anyone or anything.It's long enough to love it and people you meet along the way.

[Vermin_King]

I am so sorry to hear this. A friend asked me last week what I would do if I could no longer build paper models. I told him I'd have to give that some thought, and later in the conversation, I gave him an answer, which may or may not help you.

I told him that I would try to find someone to teach the hobby to. I've worked with a few individuals on projects already and I think I would like to try to do this again. My thought process was that I would like to continue being a part of the process, even if I couldn't do it myself. One of my sessions involved younger teens in a group, and they were all working on different projects, so not much demonstrating. Lots of explaining. I had thought I would work on something while helping them, but I didn't get anything done on my project.

I don't know if that would appeal to you at all, but it is worth considering

[kahoody]

Anthony,
I wholeheartedly agree with your advice.
I never know what's gonna come my way with my particular health condition but, I try and get the best with what I've got with every chance that arises.
All the best to you and yours, mate.
Ma te aroha o te Ariki nui ki a koutou ko to whanau i nga wa katoa, e hoa!
Another Anthony!

[THE DC]

Originally Posted by Swampfox

I was prescribed medication for Parkinson’s and it worked for a while, however, being progressive disease, it keeps getting worse. In Oct. of 2016, I had brain surgery, I had 2 implants at the base of my brain, and for now they are working so I’m taking the time to type this while I still can, hopefully I will be fine for a long while.

I will still watch the posts on PM and enjoy seeing other works, I doubt I’ll ever build another model. I’ve tried the automatic scan and cut devices, with mediocre results. That’s fine, but my ability to do very fine gluing is gone and clipping pieces is impossible.

Anthony, may I offer hope?

My uncle was, until 2 years ago, one of the oldest Parkinson's patients alive in the US; such a rarity tat after 32 years of survival he was written up in two medical journals. When he passed, two years ago, it was not from that disease but from cancer.

One of the factors that is believed to have supported his longevity, and long term functionality, was a hobby I encouraged him to engage, to combat the neurological limits; wood carving. He carved free-handed birds, boats, etc. with a skill that was enviable. As the disease progresses he approached the hobby as therapy; not for the mind but for the brain.

Neurogenesis does not end after the age of thirty, as was believed by neurologists for a century, but instead continues for years in the human, albeit at a decreasing rate. This is true in the parietal lobe as well as the frontal lobe. Though those brains that have aged past 30 years develop at a slower rate, there is still neurological development, now determined even to the diseased brain, right up into the 90s.

My point is that this hobby, paper modeling, though it might be difficult at first, could be more than an act of love for you, but a way to facilitated dendrite stimulation to encourage functional parallelism. We have two hemispheres, each with specialization, but with as well a potential redundancy of function, if stimulated properly and rigorously. Engaging in fine motor activity stimulates dendrite activity and neurological development that promotes the growth of new cell connections.

My uncle shook dramatically at times, but when he carved, his hands would become very steady; pre-disease steady. It is believed that the new connections that he formed, as the brain was forced by his hobby to develop new and parallel pathways between functional areas, provided compensation for his illness. Over time, when he shook badly, he would start holding his hands as he did when using a knife or chisel, and the shakes would not persist. Even when not carving and sanding, his body's new neurological pathways switched on, providing some relief. His brain had learned to compensate by developing new connections, bypassing the lost cellular pathways due to Parkinson's, but employing the newly developed bypasses.

This was not easy. At first it was VERY frustrating for him, as the fine motor tasks that he attempted eluded him and he felt clumsy. But after a great deal of effort, he found renewed ability that he had lost. For many years he was productive and able to function much better than peers with the illness that had not employed such a focused, physical therapy. He also outlived them all.

I do not suggest an easy out, nor any guarantee, but if you are willing to try and to persist, this activity might do more for you than extend your joy of the hobby; it could extend much more of your functioning. This is not pseudo-science but established neuropsychological knowledge supported through functional MRI evidence.

Please consider it, and it you take up the scissors or blade and glue again, allow yourself time to re-learn, with the new pathways that you will create, the joy your so often shared with us in years past. It will take time, and will at first appear impossible, but there is hope after the initial struggle. Your brain can learn and your neural patterning can be paralleled and bypassed with proper stimulation, furthering the gains you experience with medication. Fine motor activity is the key to stimulating the functioning, that you shared that you have lost, and lateralization can sometimes be challenged by engaging the frontal lobe to manage the activity of your parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes; parallel development. Your neurologist can better advise you on exercises to encourage this effort, making the transition easier.


It is a hope that I hold; when my time will come, as likely will in the future.


My hopes and support for you,


The DC

[whulsey]

Anthony, sorry to hear about your health issues. But as I've been learning with age adjust and adapt. Hoping for the best for you.

Wayne

[Richschindler]

Anthony. You are so correct in what you say. You must live life to its fullest. Eanjoy every day.

I’m sorry to hear of your health issues. If only the medical world could find a cure for this, and many of the other diseases that we face in the world today.

Be strong and enjoy the hobby in any way you can. Even if it’s just reading postings and maybe adding a comment here and there if you can. That way you’ll still be part of this crazy group of paper loving nuts.

Be well

[Swampfox]

Dear Group:
First I would like to thank every one for your support and encouragement with my Parkinson’s. I would like to address each of your comments personally, but my shaking hand wouldn’t allow that, I’ve trained my left handed to do some typing but it’s slow going, but one finger typing works. Other wise my typing would be unreadable..it’s taken me several days to respond, one paragraph at a time Thank god for spell checker;-)

I’ve played guitar most of my life so I play that as often as possible and have been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years, I majored in Geology so as you can see I try to stay busy.

My wife also majored in Geology and we give lectures to the locals in Buena Vista. I also give lectures to the locals interested in learning the night sky.

My wife and I check with my Parkinson’s Dr on a regular basis to see if she has heard of new advancements in the cure for Parkinson’s.

My wife has tried braces to help me get around easier, as I can no longer walk without a wheel chair.

I still do keep up with the PM group and will continue to do so. The art and models you guys build still amazes me, so I still buy them just for the art alone, and I will comment once in a while when appropriate.

I’m learning origami, I make it to keep my mind active and give it to friends that like certain animals.

I can’t tell you how much I love my wife for standing by me for all these years, and reminding me to exercise no matter how much it hurts.

I wish you all a good life, and remember to have fun and don’t take yourselves too seriously.
Peace,
Anthony/Swampfox

[Lex]

https://www.liftware.com/

I just realised these things exist to help those suffering similar issues... Could they offer some hope as to adapting to modelling needs?

[Swampfox]

Lex, Thanks for the suggestion, a friend recommended these and I spaced them out, with all the other ideas and suggestions other friends make, I loose track of what I’ve tried and not tried. Thanks for the reminder.
Anthony/swampfox