It’s not until circumstances reveal that your idea of talking clearly and normally is, in reality, another’s perception of you as being a soft spoken and quiet introvert, that you start to realise that Parkinson’s is more than stiff, trembling and aching limbs.
In my work role as a salesman to many clients, whether face to face in meetings or on the phone, were saying ‘Eh? say that again’ or ‘I’m sorry but what did you say?’ For my part I tried to be louder which worked sometimes but for the most part I ran out of puff and my voice dried up in an effort to speak up and be heard. In all I was getting tired, frustrated and a sore throat.
It was time to either cave in and give up to retreat into the comfortable world of ‘well if they can’t be bothered to pay attention and listen to me then that’s their problem not mine’ or to find out what’s going on and can I do anything about it? To find out if it’s them or me with the problem.
What convinced me to make the effort to work with Celia was the video of the American lady who went from an expressionless, mumbling, whispering woman (did I sound like that as well to everyone?) to a smiling, cheerful, very loud extrovert. Could I do that too?
After a month of LSVT LOUD® voice training I can truly say that I have achieved a very important victory over Parkinson’s disease. I and my immediate family and friends have heard and seen a marked improvement in my voice, confidence and willingness to initiate and join in conversation, which is, being normal! I will have to keep up the daily voice training for the rest of my life but it will be worth it.
I couldn’t have achieved this without Celia’s help, patience and enthusiasm.
– SB, Winchester