Don's Story
 Don Dietrich used to glide across the ice, as a hockey defenceman. Now, he spends up to an hour, some mornings, lying on his bedroom floor, face down, stretching his limbs to relieve severe cramping from an overnight lack of medication. Don, 47, has Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects about 100,000 Canadians. The most common symptoms are tremor, slowness and stiffness, balance problems and muscle rigidity. The average age of onset of Parkinson's disease is 60, but it can affect people as young as 30 or 40. Don, who was diagnosed at 34, not long after he retired from hockey, experiences slowness and tremor on his left side. He says, “When my symptoms are at their worst, I become very rigid, stiff and slow-moving.” Well-respected in his community of Deloraine, Manitoba, Don acknowledges, “Even though people are understanding, it’s tough to go out and be seen that way. I used to be a professional hockey player, so it’s challenging to have the body I relied on to make my living fail me.” Six years ago, when his medications no longer worked well, Don had deep brain stimulation surgery. In this procedure, electrodes are implanted in the brain and connected to a pacemaker-like device that sends an electrical current into the brain. Don says, without this surgery, he would likely require assisted living by now. He has some worries about the unknown, “wondering what tomorrow will bring. It never seems to be consistent.” He has had three bouts of cancer. The accompanying stress heightens his Parkinson’s symptoms. Don says his health battles have made him a better man, husband and father. “Once you get past the denial, you see life from a different perspective.” He still does a turn on the ice, initiating the Deloraine Breakfast Club for kids who want to sharpen their puck skills before heading to school. He does talent scouting for hockey and watches his sons play in their respective leagues. Don is a board member of Parkinson Society Manitoba. He credits the support of his family, and the life lessons he learned from riding the rollercoaster of professional sport, with giving him strength to continue on his journey. |
