{"id":2734,"date":"2025-02-11T23:44:58","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T23:44:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test7.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonz\/?page_id=2734"},"modified":"2025-04-22T21:07:41","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T21:07:41","slug":"robert-emberly","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/test7.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonz\/robert-emberly\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Emberly-Newfoundland-Diagnosed 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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PARKINSONZ ACEs<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Adapt, Conquer, Empower Others<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Meet Robert Emberly<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t
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Finding Balance After Parkinson\u2019s<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When Robert received his Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis in 2010 at age 56, it felt like the ground had shifted beneath him. The initial wave of shock and uncertainty was overwhelming, but it was quickly followed by an unexpected sense of relief. At least now, he and his wife, Susan, had an answer. It wasn\u2019t the worst-case scenario they\u2019d feared, like cancer or a terminal prognosis. It was a challenge, yes, but challenges had always been a part of Robert\u2019s life.

Susan, a former psychiatric nurse, knew what Parkinson\u2019s could bring. She\u2019d seen its effects up close, its ability to strip away independence and dignity. But she also knew Robert better than anyone. Together, they made a decision: they would face this head-on, choosing positivity and action over despair.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The Turning Point<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The first few months after the diagnosis were grueling. Robert dove into an intensive LSVT training program, working one-on-one with a therapist to build strength and resilience. When the program ended, he was sent to a Wednesday Parkinson\u2019s exercise group.

Walking into the room, Robert was struck by what he saw: people in wheelchairs, others with walkers, all struggling to maintain their independence. Robert, on the other hand, could still jump high enough to clear the instructor\u2019s head\u2014a feat he often joked about.

That moment crystallized his resolve. He wasn\u2019t going to let Parkinson\u2019s dictate his future. He could see the road ahead if he did nothing, and he refused to go down it.

One observation stood out: everyone in the room battled with balance. For Robert, balance had always been second nature, honed through years of karate and his job working on an offshore oil platform.

On that platform, he\u2019d learned to steady himself on the constantly shifting deck of the Terranova FPSO. Now, he turned that skill into a weapon against Parkinson\u2019s. Every day, he went to the gym and practiced the yoga crane pose, balancing on one leg. Using the mirrored walls, he trained his eyes to guide his balance, aligning with vertical lines instead of relying on his inner ear. Over time, his calves and ankles adapted, and he rediscovered his stability.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Riding Through Life<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Parkinson\u2019s wasn\u2019t just a physical challenge; it reshaped Robert\u2019s entire perspective on life. Change was inevitable, but it wasn\u2019t necessarily catastrophic. For him and Susan, it was just another stage in life, like so many others they\u2019d navigated together.

Robert found his sanctuary on his bike rollers. Known for their difficulty, the rollers became both a physical challenge and a metaphor for his journey. He began imagining long-distance rides, first across his province, then across Canada, and eventually spanning the continent. Over the years, he modified the rollers to make them safer, adapting them to his evolving needs.

The process wasn\u2019t without setbacks. He took his share of falls, but each one taught him something valuable. His balance improved, his proprioception sharpened, and his ability to sync his breathing with his movements became almost meditative.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Lessons for Others<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Robert\u2019s journey taught him the importance of movement, not just for the body but for the soul. His advice to others facing Parkinson\u2019s was straightforward: find an activity you love and do it every day. Push yourself to the edge of your abilities but stay within safe boundaries, guided by your caregivers. Progress may come slowly, but it will come.<\/p>

He is endlessly grateful for Susan\u2019s support. She had seen Parkinson\u2019s at its worst, but Robert was determined not to let her bear the full brunt of the disease. Their partnership is a cornerstone of his strength.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Moving Forward<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Robert\u2019s future is still being written. His bike rollers, now a symbol of his resilience, are part of
his daily routine and still a work in progress. Each ride is a victory, a reminder that Parkinson\u2019s
may challenge him, but it would never define him.
Balance\u2014both literal and metaphorical\u2014had become his mantra. As long as he could keep
moving forward, he knew he was winning the battle.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Meet the other Parkinsonz ACES<\/a><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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