Peter's story: Abstract art and dyskinesia
Peter is 69 and lives on his own in West Sussex. Here he shares the impact of his Parkinson’s on his everyday life and how a long-forgotten childhood talent has helped him cope.
When Peter was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2013, his initial reaction was different to what might be expected. “Lots of people may be concerned or worried about the future. I wasn’t in that mindset - I had a sense of relief that I didn't have what my father had.”
Before he died, Peter’s father had lived with an enlarged artery in his brainstem, which caused him to have slow movement, poor balance and communication problems. Around 3 years before Peter's diagnosis, his family began telling him that his movements were getting slower.
Peter’s writing had also been getting smaller for some years. He began finding it difficult to tackle small delicate movements, such as doing buttons up.
“I also realised that I was getting anxious in busy areas, to the extent that I needed to rehearse, in my head, navigating from A to B through tables with drinks in my hands, for example. I became self conscious and worried that I would lose my balance.
“So many things were getting worse and my family started to question what was happening to me. Of course I didn’t know, but I wasn’t feeling great,” Peter admits. “By the time I saw my GP, I was clutching at straws. He suggested it could be Parkinson’s, so I went to see a neurologist who confirmed my GP’s thoughts.”
Facing the realities
Despite experiencing a range of symptoms before his diagnosis, Peter concedes he didn’t realise how serious Parkinson’s can be. But now he sees it differently. “On a bad day, you can have numerous symptoms including muscular pain, rigidity of movement, inner and outer shakiness, nausea, and anxiety.”
Peter’s voice has become quieter. Constipation is a problem even though he maintains a high-fibre diet and he also suffers with an overactive bladder.
As well as Parkinson’s, Peter also has a curvature of the spine (scoliosis) which makes his Parkinson’s ‘stoop’ worse. Exercise is really important to Peter, so every morning he does strength and stretching exercises to help his mobility and goes for daily walks. Falls have become a problem though, as his balance has become worse.
But it’s dyskinesia - uncontrollable involuntary movements - that Peter describes as his “worst enemy.” He says: “Dyskinesia can be horrendous. At one moment I feel everything is under control and the next my limbs will start moving quite violently.
I can easily get stressed in a crowded place or room and this can set off a bout of dyskinesia.
“Sometimes it doesn’t last very long. Sometimes it can be an inner shakiness and sometimes it can be more obvious,” explains Peter. “There are no rules and it can be very difficult to cope with.”
Using art to cope
During the pandemic, while looking for something to occupy him, Peter discovered drawing. “I was never particularly creative before - in fact I was the complete opposite!”
Peter remembered a school art class where a teacher had been positive about his abstract art, so he decided to see if he could unlock that creativity again.
“Because it’s abstract, it's a moveable feast and I can completely redesign drawings while completing the piece. Sometimes I may have to stop if my dyskinesia kicks in and is bad but, overall, it relaxes me. It’s a mix of realising the benefits and being hooked on it!” Peter has now completed over 100 drawings.
“You have to have a strong mental approach towards Parkinson’s - it can be all consuming. It’s on my mind most of the time, but my art has helped me to focus on something else. I don’t cope well with stress, but when I draw, there’s no pressure on me,” Peter says. “My mental health is now pretty good, especially given the difficulties in getting through everyday.”