Faithing Fears in the Face of a Chronic Diagnosis

This hour addresses the process of facing a chronic diagnosis, not just with the loved one, but also their caregivers. Suzanne is joined by Lianna Marie, author of ''The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones'' and the upcoming book ''The Parkinson's Path." She explains, "We talk about facing our fears, but my Mom and I talked about 'faithing' our fears. None of us knows what the future holds, and there are so many unknowns, in particular for Parkinson's because it looks so different for different people. Ultimately, it did end up that mom was in long term care, but at the beginning if you'd told me that I would have been freaking out. I imagined all these horrible things, none of which happened, by the way." Fear is a funny thing. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Channeling fear and anxiety can lead to amazing things. Lianna explains, "My mom handled her fears over time with counseling, being okay with being vulnerable, admitting how she feels. It's really a big deal to be able to say that you're afraid. Once she was able to acknowledge this, her faith saved her, I feel that literally. She had strong faith in God right up until the end. Every morning, as she got up, Parkinson's presented itself differently, but faith gave some purpose and meaning in her life. A lot of people that have talked to me have said, whether it's God or some form of spirituality, it has really helped them, especially for those who have had a larger hand dealt to them." Learn more at Lianna's website, All About Parkinson's.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.