“Even the hardest puzzles have solutions.” – Unknown

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began a year ago, I have spent countless hours assembling puzzles. I’m not sure how many I’ve finished – too many to count at this point. I get so much joy and satisfaction working on completing scenes ranging from cityscapes to countrysides to underwater dogs…yes that’s correct!

I follow the ‘stay at home’ orders and ‘lockdown’ rules and I remain dedicated to my own personal goal of not getting or giving anyone this virus. Puzzles have been an amusing time-filler. But why am I so consumed with puzzles?

Puzzles are predictable. I like that.

Eventually, you find the answers to where every piece fits, and you are rewarded with a complete picture. This is the opposite of living with Parkinson’s Disease.

Every day is unpredictable.

There are no consistent answers. There is no complete picture. No cure. No cause (in my case).

I spend so much time tracking what works (diet, supplements, meds, exercise, etc.) to alleviate my symptoms (pain, tremor, stiffness, balance, constipation (there.. I said it!), insomnia, apathy, fatigue, speech, etc). What seems effective one day, is useless the next. There is no perfect combination of treatments to solve all that is Parkinson’s.

It feels like I am desperately trying to put together the pieces of a puzzle that is constantly evolving. Just when I think I’ve found the spot for a particular piece, the shape changes.

But even the hardest puzzle has a solution – hopefully somebody solves the Parkinson’s puzzle soon.

I’ll keep working on the Cinque Terre, Italy for now.