Every time I visit my PD Doctors, I always present as being in tip-top shape. I tap my fingers, tap my toes, and if there are two or more of the PD team in the room, they tend to look at each other, nod and say things like “very good.” They may make me do these tasks again, just to verify.
The big surprise is when I stand up and walk in the hallway while they watch. The last time I did this, they asked me to do it again and again – each time there were only small matters that I had to adjust – like my left arm didn’t swing as much as my right. I perform much better in a doctor’s office than when I’m on my own at home. Part of the reason why I walk so well there is that there are few distractions, and I’m hyper aware of walking smoothly. However, when my husband and I walk outdoors in the parks near where we live in the Hudson Valley, I get distracted by all sorts of things: the geese honking at the water’s edge, the dew on the ground in the early morning, or a band setting up outside to prepare for a concert. My stride is not smooth, and I often scuff my feet. Furthermore, at home I often have festinating gait.
But I think there’s more to this. Do any of you have the same experience, too?
