It Never Stops Taking

I came into this world on April 9, 1945, born to a couple who experienced hard times in their lives and who would raise me in one of the poorest communities in the United States. However, I was fortunate enough to inherit my father's quiet intelligence. Also, both of my parents' hard-working ethics were innately enmeshed in my genes. This caused me to push myself to be the best that I could be. In my preteen and teenage years, I often came home from school, ate my dinner in solitude as my parents were both at work, did the family dishes, studied until 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. each evening, and went to bed. It was a lonely existence, but I knew nothing else. I was being prepared for my life. As a high school sophomore I desperately wanted to succeed in academics so I could win the one scholarship given to a student body selection of around 300 students. I ended up quitting a promising football career to focus on my studies and my role as the President of the student council Due to my intense drive and motivation; I was in the hospital for a short bout with an ulcer. Yes, the pressure was on, but I was learning how to handle it. I was being prepared for my life. After receiving the community scholarship, I attended Lafayette College and majored in Chemical Engineering. I had the rug pulled out from under me as the school started pulling funds from my scholarship. I joined the ROTC for the money and worked as the treasurer for my fraternity so I could eat. In addition to working at least 20 hours a week I studied 20 hours a week and was going to class another 30-40 hours a week. It was rough, but I completed my stint at Lafayette through sheer grit and determination. I hated my time there because of the stress that controlled my life and because they removed my promised scholarship funds. I remember one particular time where I sat in class and I was so exhausted, so totally depleted that my mind went blank. I was taking a final exam and all I could do was write my name on the paper and turn it in blank. Failure was not an option and it did not consume me. I was being prepared for my life. I graduated. After college, I felt compelled to volunteer to serve during the Vietnam War. I was a combat infantry adviser. I led others. Waving a flag of surrender was not an option. I do not give up. I came back alive. I am amazed that I survived this chapter of my life. God must have had a plan for me. I did survive, but my worst enemy was not the one that I could see and return fire. But it was one that was laying dormant when the exposure to Agent Orange could have activated it and brought it to life. I brought my worst enemy home with me. I would battle it for many years. There would be no cease fire. Mr. P will not surrender .and neither will I. I married the love of my life (Kris). We had two beautiful daughters. I had a promising career as a project manager. I knew how to find solutions to tough problems. I was a fixer. I hated coming in second. Near the end of my successful career, I noticed my right foot was dragging and my right arm wasn't swinging fully. I had a suspicion. A doctor finally confirmed my suspicion and diagnosed the enemy who came home with me as Parkinson's. Dad had Parkinson’s, two uncles had Parkinson’s, and my sister had recently been diagnosed with it. I thought this must have been why life had been so hard, and my lessons were over. I would use what I had learned in my earlier life lessons to fight PD. However, God had other plans. The lessons were not over. Within a matter of months, I lost my mother-in-law, my mother, my father and then my partner, my wife, in a short time frame. I felt like the biblical Job. Many who I dearly loved were removed from my life. My mind screamed out, “God, are the lessons over with now?” I'm vulnerable, I'm tough, but I was feeling a bit defeated. This was another life lesson. God is in control. He was not through with me yet and even though I had PD, he was not prepared to watch me surrender. He had a plan for my life, and I still had to fight. He soon allowed me to meet my second wife, Karen, who would fight this battle with me. Maybe it took all of these life events to put me in a place where I could accept that God is in control and that he had a purpose for my life. Karen and I founded the Lowe Family Young Scholars Program This was an effort to educate the poor. For this plan to have a chance it required me to dedicate a major portion of my wealth to the endowment funds for scholarships to aid students whose families needed financial assistance To date, we have four students in college and 26 are being academically mentored in preparation for receiving’ college scholarships .I count it as a victory when one of our students enrolls and graduates from college. Every time we hit a road block to progress, God provided an answer. My Parkinson's has progressed and is currently diagnosed as “Stage 5” or “advanced Parkinson's Disease.” Sometimes I can walk. Sometimes I freeze in place and cannot move. Some days I am confined to a wheel chair all day long. At night, I become stiff as a log and have to have a night attendant who will move me from side to side to loosen me up. He gets me up to take pills at 4 a.m. every morning. Also, I have to wear a catheter at night due to severe incontinence. My journey has had more victories than frustrations. Parkinson's is a worthy warrior and frankly, he might win in the end. However, I will fight the good fight. My life lessons have been to teach me how to battle a worthy adversary, to try to overcome, to never give in or give up. I didn't stop after receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. I continued to serve as President of the school board, attend events, and remain active. This is my advice to you; don't give in to the disease. Fight it with every ounce of strength. I've been likened to a boxer with an opponent who is much stronger and bigger and who I know will eventually knock me out and win the battle. But I stay in the ring. I take his punches. I knock him back a few times however I know deep in my heart, this opponent will eventually win. I tell myself, “I don't care; I must fight the battle as though I had a chance.” That is what my life lessons have taught me, to never give up, even if my opponent is Parkinson's Disease. . In 2002 Karen and I had our first meeting with Dr Hastings It lasted 4 hours He changed my medication. I was probably Stage 2 at that time and I was still very active. Dr Hastings prescribed a new drug called Azilect. The label said you could die from a sudden heart attack when taking this drug. The doctor said I was the only one of his patients willing to take the risk. Also he introduced me to a doctor in Houston who was a world renowned expert in Parkinson's research. The first thing he did was change my medications. This rang a bell. Three different doctors had three different medical treatment plans I learned the best Parkinson's drug was in 1973 and nothing better had been found since. There was no cure. I decided I would get involved. I started keeping records of my medications and my reaction to them. This started in 2006 It has been especially helpful when I get a new neurologist. You can see many pills were used from 2001 to 2006’s. We were trying to find a mix that would give the longest cycle time. You can be very active in Stage 1 and 2, but not in Stage 4 and 5. Being in stage 5, my activities are severely limited. My first doctor told me I would have 20 years before I was impaired. He was wrong. A major problem is the different methods of treatment. After you have tried all the drugs the only option is surgery. It appeared that Deep Brain Stimulation surgery was best for me. It takes four and a half hours and may give you longer cycle time. I had mixed success. My cycle time is now two and one half hours. It was one and three quarter hours before I had surgery and three and one half hours immediately after surgery.