Many people think that with the advent of the Internet and our use of pc’s, tablets and smartphones That’s the art of writing is dying. I used to agree. But not for aesthetic reasons. My motivations were far more prosaic. Basically, Parkinsons stops you from being able to type quickly or fluidly. And that means that you can’t write what you are thinking easily. I am a very immediate person and this stopped me for a long time.

But I am also quite chatty when I get going and so I needed to find a solution. And it eventually came in the form of my fantastic iPhone 4 S and the voice activated software function. I now dictate virtually all my emails, texts and posts so you better get used to longer entries !

Why mention this now? Well, Parkinson’s UK recently launched a campaign about every day actions that are impeded by having Parkinson’s. Writing was the hardest thing to lose for me but, you come up with alternatives, work around, solutions. You can’t let this disease stop you.

And I think that’s why I find this campaign so upsetting. The way it’s written, it makes you feel like the speakers are almost giving up. Now I know that’s not true, the vast majority of people with Parkinson’s carry on living as best they can as long as they can. But I can’t help thinking the campaign does not necessarily make this very clear. This might be a controversial view, all I’ve seen is positive comment on the various social feeds but I can’t help but think it.

Anyway, to end on a high note me and my software are very happy with each other and I think this relationship will grow and grow. Today texts, tomorrow Tolstoy.