World Parkinson Day 11th April

ACTIVITIES FOR PARKINSONS DISEASE (PD) AWARENESS LESSONS and THE ONE ACT PLAY “WITHOUT HER” by Despina Karamitsou

1.     Use the ad poster created for the play to speculate what the play will be about. (Before reading task)

2.     Ask students what they know about PD. Do they know anyone who suffers from PD?          If yes, then, what are some common misconceptions about people who suffer from PD? (Before reading task)

3.     Use WITHOUT HER as readers’ theatre script in class or perform it (drama)

4.     Scan the script, find all the idiomatic phrases in English and write the equivalent in your mother tongue. (translation)

5.     Identify the funny parts in the script and vote for the funniest. (language)

6.     Mix up a part of the conversation and ask students to unscramble it. (language)

7.     Compare the “personality” of the Brain to that of the Heart. (comparisons)

8.     Be The Director of the play: Add your own stage directions, suggest costumes and furniture that can be used on the stage. Propose movements or gestures to accompany the roles. (drama)

9.     Find out more about the symptoms of PD or the treatment.

Which non motor symptoms may appear years before motor symptoms?

Does PD affect all ages? What makes this disease unique? Do all patients have the same symptoms? (research)

10.   A visit to the doctor (roleplay)

Brainstorm which symptoms show us that something is wrong with our health.

Write each symptom on a slip of paper and put all slips in a bag. One student can be the patient and randomly chooses 3 slips before going to the doctor. The second student can be the doctor who will try to find the diagnosis.

11.   Find out about the patient’s feelings after receiving a diagnosis. Give advice on how to overcome negative feelings. (language)

12.   Read a blog entry and write comments (reading + writing)

Eg  www.tremblingtales.blogspot.gr

Life with Parkie and Without Her: Compare the story to the play

13.   Who is James Parkinson? Biography (reading comprehension)

14.   What do Michael Fox and Mohamed Ali have in common? (research-problem solving)

Which famous people suffer from PD?

15.   A red tulip: find out how it became the symbol of PD (research)

16.   Find out about PD associations and their work. (research)

17.   Life hacks for people with PD TED talk. (listening)

https://www.ted.com/talks/mileha_soneji_simple_hacks_for_life_with_parkinson_s

18.   Make an awareness poster for PD day (creativity)

19.   Give the students a list of symptoms and ask them to find out the disease using the Symptom Checker website. (research-problem solving)

20.   Unexpected Twist Poem (literature) Read, analyse and discuss twists in life and ways we react

to them.

UNEXPECTED TWIST
I don’t know what I would have done if this had happened to me
At the dawn of my life
I don’t know how I would have felt
If the bubbles kept bursting one after the other
If my dreams had been drowned in the waves of despair
If I had felt that push in the dark, that slap in the face, that stab in the back
But I do know
You are a strong girl
With a sensitive soul
And a caring nature
I do know you are scared of what the future holds for you
With your big brown watery eyes
Looking down into the dark alley
Searching for answers
Desperately reaching for help
But your thoughts are blowing away
Like feathers in the wind
I have been in your shoes
Not so long ago
So I can tell you
You can still have goals
You can still experience the wonder of life
Have a taste of the sweet moments
And a taste of the bitter truths
You can still mix salty tears
With sour-sweet laughs
Do not worry what others think
Just follow the path
God is revealing to you
Everyone’s different
Especially you
With your long curly hair
And your great gift
To make people happy
So try walking through life
Holding your head up high
 And with your hands open
So you can catch
The snowflakes and the rain
The wind kisses and the sunny rays
Your journey will be challenging
Full of surprises and more unexpected twists
And that’s what makes it worth living.

BY DESPINA KARAMITSOU

My  life with Parkie speech (reading comprehension)

Life with Parkie

I will try to share with you my own experiences in a different way. I will tell you a true story that happened a few years ago.

One morning a few years ago, I had an unwelcome visitor. You know, the kind of person who quickly changes mood and begins to complain and then loads her problems on you and although you are trying to find a solution for her, she herself does not try at all and continues to whine. I thought she would leave soon but she had different plans. She never meant to leave and hospitality pretty soon turned into cohabitation. Fortunately, the house is spacious and has room for us all.

Of course, as with any roommate, your life changes drastically. To survive you must adapt to the whims of your roommate. In my case, I had to make major adjustments. My family, frankly, do not understand how I tolerate her. They admire my patience. I will explain why.

Sometimes, she does not let me sleep at night. She likes to stay up late with no reason whatsoever and wanders around the house dragging her slippers, so in the morning I can’t help but feel tired and sleepy and cannot take a single step.

And as if this is not enough, she is also terribly lazy. Moving slowly, so slowly that sometimes she reminds me of an astronaut living in space. She is a couch potato who wanders from one couch to another watching TV or surfing the Internet. Another friend has nicknamed her "the corpse" and asks me whether or not she has stunk yet.

Ahh! Now I said "stunk" I remembered about another one of her defects. One day she almost set fire to the house. I had put dinner in the oven and had just started to tidy up the clutter that she always leaves behind her when I realized that the house was filled with smoke. Weird thing ... This girl has no sense of smell at all.

Her quirks are endless. Such a slender young girl and I've never seen her in high heels. She is always wearing flats or trainers. And although I beg her to wear some feminine blouses or cute shirts, she claims that she is too clumsy to do the buttons and opts for t-shirts and tights instead.

The worst is that she is moody and unsociable. She does not want to hang out with friends. She often gets irritated or complains that they do not understand her.  She sulks and remains silent and when she speaks her hoarse voice is barely heard. If you let her do her own thing and keep you in the house, you are in trouble. You will feel blue and depressed in no time.

Her favourite game is ‘hide and seek’ and does not care about anything else. But ‘hide and seek’ is not my favourite game. In fact, I think that it is boring. I like other things. I enjoy going to work every day, travelling to unknown places, and meeting people. I love the sun, the sea, the little fish tavern on the beach. Paintbrushes and tube paints keep me company for hours. Pen and paper are my best friends. My artistic and literary explorations never stop. The family moments and meetings with friends are precious for me.

So, I do not let her do what she wishes. I have other plans. Whether she likes it or not, she has to wake up early, exercise and come with me to work. In the afternoon she will help with other obligations. We may be a little slow, but so we can enjoy a few more things that go unnoticed for those who are in a rush. I have discovered corners in our town which I had no idea existed. The food, now, is a pleasure that lasts far longer and getting dressed is now a whole ritual. I never wear whatever I find in the closet as I used to. And when I sleep, she falls asleep as well and we see the same dreams and the same nightmares.

When we go shopping we are both extremely happy. We usually pay using a credit card. You see, she gets upset handling coins. Sometimes they fall off her hand; sometimes she does not have enough or cannot reach them down in the bottom of the bag.

The truth is that I sometimes neglect her. When I start to paint or write I forget about her completely. Then, I do not know where she disappears, where she hides herself... She must be feeling terribly lonely.

I think it's time to reveal her name if by now you haven’t guessed it. Parkinson's disease (affectionately called Parkie) came into my life to stay, like an unwanted friend who appears without notice, suddenly not for a visit but for permanent cohabitation. Four years ago, I discovered that I suffer from this unique and simultaneously increasingly common condition with multiple and different symptoms and unknown cause, an unpredictable, progressive disease without effective treatment. I hope everything and fear nothing. There are always ways to facilitate our lives. From the special glass or cup that is designed not to pour the drink to the wheelchair, everything is designed to restore our freedom and movement and not to cripple us as many mistakenly believe.

Living with Parkie is always a great challenge. Mainly, because things that are simple and obvious now become a time consuming process. If you have such a roommate in your life I understand perfectly.

Do not let them, however, impose their own way of life and thinking. Above all, do not play hide and seek. Do not hide in the house, snuggled in a couch, in front of a screen. Set goals and sail to new destinations and explorations. Develop new interests and hobbies. Try things, meet people and make new friends. Love, laugh, travel and enjoy life like never before.

And if you notice that people stare at you, do not think that they do so out of curiosity or pity. Chances are that they look at you with admiration.