Keeping a Medical Journal

Keeping a medical journal to track symptoms, changes in medication, notes on visits to doctors, physiotherapists and other professionals, plus anything else that is pertinent to your condition is a very good idea. Consistent record keeping will help your doctors to make the best choices for your treatment.

You would think that being a writer myself, knowing the importance of consistent record keeping, that I would follow my own advice. The truth is that despite the fact that I am at my computer for at least 8 or 9 hours a day, I am the world's worst record keeper. 

I am very good at starting new charts and setting up new systems, and I usually have very good intentions of turning over new leafs, but I am frustratingly lazy. Why are good habits so hard too keep? Bad habits - no problem - they practically keep themselves! Wasting a whole morning watching TV, spending hour after hour on Facebook, staying up until the wee hours yet again - all very easy to accomplish. Writing book length comments on other people's work is so much easier than writing a page or two for my online earning accounts. I convinced Hubby that I needed a new laptop with a webcam so that I could make entries in a video diary. I made daily entries for a little while, but I couldn't keep track of my files and I made a mess of my folders. And then I started telling myself that I would make an entry as soon as got dressed and put on some make up. 

If you have Parkinson's, or any other chronic condition, please don't follow my example. And  I will do my best to start doing as I say and not as I do as well.