I'm Not Dead Yet!
A close look at an extraordinary life with Parkinson's Disease. Quirky and irreverent hosts Judy & Travis take a look at this most tragic of events: life with an incurable disease and why it’s important to declare that I'm Not Dead Yet!
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I'm Not Dead Yet!
EP-130 The Racquetball Champion with Parkinson's
Robert Campuzano refuses to let Parkinson's disease define his life. Diagnosed at age 56, this former sales professional transformed what could have been devastating news into a remarkable journey of resilience and joy.
The moment of diagnosis hit like "a shot in the stomach." Robert found himself driving aimlessly, struggling to process what this would mean for his active lifestyle. But rather than surrendering to despair, he methodically evaluated what he could keep and what he might need to give up. While motorcycle riding had to go due to decreased reaction times, Robert was determined to continue playing competitive racquetball—a sport he'd enjoyed for nearly 30 years.
Today, Robert not only plays racquetball but dominates the court, beating competitors who are stunned to learn about his diagnosis. "These guys are in their 60s and late 50s, shaking my hand and saying 'watching you play, it's amazing that you're here all the time and kicking butt,'" Robert shares with quiet pride. His presence challenges common perceptions about Parkinson's, as people frequently ask him, "Are you sure you have Parkinson's? I can't see it."
His approach to living with Parkinson's combines the goal-setting mindset that served him well in sales with a keen awareness of his body's signals. "Read your body and let your body tell you what you're doing right or wrong," he advises. "If I'm too tired, I stop, I'm going to take a nap." This balanced perspective, along with finding the right doctor and joining support groups, forms the foundation of his success.
Robert's story isn't just about maintaining an extraordinary life despite extraordinary circumstances—it's about becoming stronger through the challenge. As he puts it, "You can take the low road or the high road. I'm going to find the best person I can be." His parting advice? "Just keep smiling out there. When you're smiling, people notice good things about you."
Ready to transform your own perspective on Parkinson's or any life challenge? Listen to Robert's full story and discover how adversity might reveal strengths you never knew you had.
- Co-hosts: Judy Yaras & Travis Robinson
- Editor & Audio Engineer: (EP1-100) Spencer Yaras
- Audio Engineering Intern: Ana MacAller
- Social Media Intern: Ana MacAller
www.INDYpodcast.net
Welcome to I'm Not Dead Yet with Judy and Travis, a podcast about living an extraordinary life with extraordinary circumstances. Welcome to the I'm Not Dead Yet podcast. I'm your co-host, travis Robinson. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at age 35 in 2014. And I'm your other co-host, Judy Yarris, 2014.
Speaker 2:And I'm your other co-host, judy Yarris. My husband Sandy had Parkinson's disease for 18 years. I was his care partner. Hi Travis.
Speaker 1:Hey, judy, today's episode will be talking to Robert, and I will let you go ahead and introduce him Absolutely.
Speaker 2:So we're really excited today because we have a friend on the show, robert Composano, who I've known, I think, maybe a year, maybe even more than that. Robert was diagnosed at age 56 and he's just a super cool guy that Travis and I both really like. And the reason we like him is, I think, his attitude, his way of looking at life, we find very inspirational and really wonderful. And we want to pass this on to you because you know, as you know, when you get that PD diagnosis it can kind of kick you in the ass and I think for some people they just don't know how to get back up.
Speaker 2:And I think, robert, for me, talking with you over the last year or so, I really see so much energy and positivity that comes from you and I really want to share that with the rest of the world. I think it's really important. So first of all, if you wouldn't mind, will you just share your story a little bit with us? What made you go to the doctor? What were some of the symptoms you had? What is your early origin? Pd story here.
Speaker 3:Oh, hi, hi everybody. Thank you Judy, thank you, travis for having me I really appreciate it Really excited. My story began basically when, I guess, when some of the other people are notifying or notice their differences in their body or their movements. That's how it started. I had a little bit of shoulder pain. I've actually visited a neurologist, I had MRIs done, I actually had surgery done on my upper spine level and had a disc replacement, figuring that would actually cure my shoulder problem.
Speaker 3:But as time went on it wasn't actually getting better, it was getting worse. And, uh, visiting more neurologists and other neurologists and then, uh, then the last determination was basically I had, uh, they noticed that I had parkinson's again, being new to this, it was just devastating to be told that you have parkinson I. I mean. So many thoughts go in your mind you don't even know where to start. So it was just a tremendous blow, especially somebody like myself, very active, very conscious about my weight. I was doing everything possible to make sure I stay as healthy as possible and especially with some family history, it was really a shot in the stomach where you just don't know where to start. That was the first part of it.
Speaker 2:Robert, I have a question. Obviously at that age, I'm assuming you were still working, right, you had a job, correct, yes, career, yes.
Speaker 3:Yes, I was actually a manufacturer sales rep for almost 30 years, so I was constantly on the road, visiting people, talking to people, and as time went on, it's just as when I finally got diagnosed right before I got diagnosed, people did react in a different way, saying you look little, you look a little off, robert, quite a bit from what you used to come in, and I never really considered that, being that it might have been parkinson, it's just like, okay, maybe it's just an off day for me, just just one of those days, but it was just funny some. Some people reacted that way but I didn't make anything big about it. But as time gone on, it's it started showing on me and I started reacting kind of differently in that sense. But that was the scary part.
Speaker 2:Of course, and I'm sure when you get, when you hear those words, you've got Parkinson's. There's so many different things that go through your mind at that point. Yeah, what does it mean?
Speaker 3:Exactly. I mean, you don't know, especially if you don't know anybody that has Parkinson's. You just don't know, you just hear it on TV, the radios, you know other other places. You just don't think it's going to affect you. And when it does, it's really, it's a mind blowing.
Speaker 2:And did you right away, like, did you? I know you have a fiance. Did you talk to her right away about it, or did you try to hold back with it? You know what? Where were you with that?
Speaker 3:You know it's funny. You say that because we actually, when I finally told her over the phone, it took some time basically to do the act shifts, or I was. I got in my car, I took off after the doctor explained to me what I had. I just didn't know where to go. I was driving in circles. I got on the freeway thinking I'm going to go visit my next customer, but I didn't even do that. I just didn't know how to absorb it. It was just a tough reaction. It was just driving, driving and driving. I finally picked up the phone after she had called me like 10 times and then just just to tell her I was just like wow, she was the first person I told the poor, of course, but it was just uh, you didn't know what direction you were going. I was on the. I was on the 110. I was on the 605. I was on the 605. I was on the 405.
Speaker 2:I was just driving around going what the heck? What's going on, right? Yeah, feeling very overwhelmed, I'm sure, at that moment.
Speaker 3:I just didn't have any direction from there. It's just like wow. And then I talked to her about it and she's just like go home, go home, we'll talk about it.
Speaker 2:Get off the freeway, stop driving, tell your boss, you're not feeling well that you're just going to cut your day suggestion yes, yeah, it was very good suggestion yeah, so was, was it were you seeing a regular neurologist at that point right, it was just a regular neurologist yeah a general neurologist yeah yes, it was did they do? Did they do any scans, like a dat scan or anything, or no?
Speaker 3:yeah, actually. Yes, I had a mri they requested I do an mri on my, on my skull and my brain, to make sure I didn't have any brain tumors or anything.
Speaker 3:Okay, which this was probably the fourth, fifth or sixth m MRI that I had done in my body actually, but they didn't find anything like that, so that was great news. So nothing was really wrong, in a sense, other than my weakness on my left arm, on my left side, was the only thing that was affecting me the most, and actually my voice started changing in time and it was just noticeable. At that point I was wondering what it was and never thought it was Parkinson's, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, no, because it's not something you think that you're going to have at that point. You didn't have any family history. You didn't know anyone that had it right.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. I didn't know anyone that had it. I mean as many people and travel through the states as a sales representative never ran into anybody talking about parkinson's at all at all. And you hear the cancer, you hear all this stuff, but you never hear about parkinson's so much okay, so this was a whole new world for you. Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Once you got the diagnosis I'm curious and you sat down, did you tell other family members, did you kind of wait I don't know if your parents are around, but did you tell other people in your family about it or other friends, or did you kind of hold on to it for a while?
Speaker 3:I held on to it for a little bit while because I was just I didn't know what to think, but other than my fiance was like stepped up and said you know, let's start doing some research, let's start looking into stuff. She reached out to a friend of hers, which was really nice, and she knew about Parkinson's. She knew about Parkinson's Foundation which I didn't know about. And after we did some research, we attended one of the. It was a beautiful play that that was taken. It was in West LA and it was about actually. It was actually talking about when you first were diagnosed with Parkinson's and sharing it with family and loved ones, basically over the phone.
Speaker 3:Oh my God, it was mind-blowing. It was just exactly to the point. When I found out I was diagnosed with Parkinson's, the first reactions, the first phone call you make with the loved one, it was really. It was really traumatic. It was a reality check. I should say Met some people with Parkinson's. It was just like the first time around that I met people with Parkinson's. But that play really opened my eyes to the reality. I mean I cried, the whole audience cried. It was really emotional.
Speaker 2:I remember when they did that that was a couple years ago, right, it was like two years ago, I think.
Speaker 3:Yes, it was, it was really, it was awesome, I mean. Yes, it was sad, but I mean, but it was really a reality and it opened my eyes to believe that you know, life goes on, life is really good. After that, you can make your life better.
Speaker 2:Right. So you know, with that in mind, as you say that, robert, you've always been so positive and proactive about making your life better, and I guess what I want to know and what maybe you can share with people because we know people can go into a funk, you can get depressed, you can you know kind of hide which you clearly did not hide. You kind of got proactive. You said I'm going to do some research, I'm going to find out about this. What did you decide? How did you come to the place of saying I'm going to make my life better or I'm going to keep my life good even though I have Parkinson's? Was there an aha moment? Maybe? Maybe there wasn't, but was there something that kind of triggered that said I can do this?
Speaker 3:You know, I think it took a little bit of time to really absorb all the the, the Parkinson, um, um, all the things that were going to happen to you, cause basically you feel like when nobody knows about Parkinson's and they finally think they're going to die, that's probably one of the first things like cancer. Basically, that's how you feel and I said, no, this is not going to happen to me. This is not going to happen to me. I know there's going to be changes in my life in the future, but I'm going to live my life the way it should be still living.
Speaker 3:You know there are things are going to be taken away from you, like motorcycle riding was one of my biggest thing and that I had to stop, basically because of my reaction and my response. You're not going to be able to respond this quick enough, so I had to give that up. So I had to figure out what am I going to give up and what am I going to be able to keep, and then you basically write that down what are you going to give up and what are you going to keep and what are you going to keep and what are you going to keep going on. And then you just kind of put it in play. Just like you know, I believe in therapy, I believe in all that.
Speaker 3:You know, I actually attended therapy with it. You write your goals. You do the same thing when you have Parkinson's. You write your goals and what direction are you going to take yourself with this? And being a salesperson for many, many years and being taught by a lot of old salespeople, it's the same concept your goals. What are your numbers going to be looked at in the next sponsor next year?
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, same subject, same direction. So I figured you know what? I have a wonderful person, a partner that's helping me out if I even need help, and she does every step for me and then I do the rest and it's been so successful. I mean, I played racquetball for almost 30 years. I'm still playing racquetball at the competitive that I kept and even better, and my friends are like amazed because they don't know anybody who has Parkinson's that plays racquetball. You know you go to every gym.
Speaker 3:I've traveled maybe to 10 or 15 different gyms and played tournaments. I go back to half of them and they like, yeah, here you have Parkinson's and you're still playing, and I'm like yep, which is?
Speaker 2:probably why you feel so good is because that was one of the things that you chose to keep up when you were making that list.
Speaker 3:Yes, and it is. It's saving my life. The gym, the people, the reactions. I tell my fiance almost every weekend oh man, she sees these guys and we still have the drama. It's still the same, it's all the same. But people look at me like man, man, I should be doing something better for myself. And this guy, look at this guy. He's, he's in his 50s, he's got parkinson, then he's kicking butt. You know, he's here all the time you know, yeah, yeah, so and it's the same way, which is so great I'm working out.
Speaker 3:yeah, so I I just feel like, at this point, nothing's going to stop you. You could still enjoy life. I mean, I mean, it's there's things that are going to be taken away for you in time, but enjoy what you have. Like they always say, live in the moment, Don't live in the future.
Speaker 2:That's a really good point, you know I I love that you are saying that because it's easy as you're making a list, you know, and I have a sales background too, so I get that idea of the numbers of projections and what you're going to do. But as you're making your list of things that you might have to give up and the things that you might be able to keep, I think it's interesting to me to see how you came about. Okay, I can't ride the motorcycle, but can I? Did you ask yourself, can I still play racquetball? Or were there frustration moments? Did you say to your friends hey, I have Parkinson's and I'm going to still try to do this? Or did you not say anything initially and then just go on and do it? I guess that's a big question.
Speaker 3:Basically, no, I did tell them. I made adjustments. It took a little bit of a while to get back into it 110% but I reacted in the sense of I'm going to practice, I'm going to go, I'm not going to care if these guys are going to tell me, oh, you're not good enough to play anymore, because it felt like I was starting all over when I started playing racquetball. It was the same response You're too early, you're not a better player, you know. I said you know what? I'm going to do the same thing and I'm going to keep playing. I'm going to do the same thing and I'm going to keep playing. I'm going to keep playing. And I did. I practiced for a while and I started playing again Just recently.
Speaker 3:I could share a little story over the weekend, this weekend, over the weekend, the guys came up to me and they all shook my hand and said you know what? You're a great inspiration for all of us. You know, for you playing racquetball, you know, and these guys are in their 60s and late 50s and they're still playing. But they're saying, they're shaking my hand and said you know what, watching you play, it's just like wow, just amazing that you're here all the time and you're kicking butt, you're beating us. You know, I didn't think that that was going to happen. Like they say, they just don't know anybody with Parkinson's.
Speaker 2:They don't know anything about Parkinson's.
Speaker 3:So just you know the little information now that it's surprising that they even research themselves. Like hey, you know what? I was researching Parkinson's the other day and it came up and wow, Let me tell you, you got a big heart, Robert, for coming out here. I don't know what it's, what it's taking you to come out here, but you're doing it and it's funny.
Speaker 2:It's like did you ever hear about?
Speaker 2:anybody with Parkinson's and they're like no See, it's great because you're now an ambassador, you're sort of changing the face. This is something that I think we want to always do. You know, I used to say to people Parkinson's. We have to find a way to make Parkinson's sexy, you know. So people, you know, really look at it with a different point of view, rather than being so down. If you hear the word Parkinson's, you panic, but you're sort of taking the word now and saying, oh, it's not defining me right.
Speaker 2:Parkinson's has not defined you at this point it's it's really just, it's just something that you have, but it doesn't make it that that's all you are. You are still the same person, but you've made some adjustments along the way, you know.
Speaker 3:And let me tell you I'm sorry, I just don't want to say that, no, go ahead everywhere. Everywhere we go, we go see family all the time and they look at me and they're like are you sure you got parkinson's? And it's like what do you mean? Am I sure? I feel it every day, all day long, but that's right. But I can't see it. And you, you know you smile, you come in smiling, your, your personality's still the same. I mean, you still look good and I'm like thanks.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Isn't that amazing, though, that's what you want to hear. That's what you want. Have you had problems with like tremor or anything like that? Like when you say people say you don't look like you have Parkinson's. So what does Parkinson's look like to people Like? What do they expect you to look like? I guess that's the big question, you know.
Speaker 3:Well, yes, because most of the time they see, you know the first thing they come out of their mouth, especially people my age, close to my age, michael J Fox, that's what they see. That's what they see. Parkinson's, that's what they see Parkinson's.
Speaker 1:That's what they see. They see the dyskinesia.
Speaker 3:Yes, I mean, I do have a little dyskinesia and I do have a little bit of facial differences and stuff like that sometimes. But it's funny because they keep on asking me are you sure you have Parkinson's? And I'm like, yes, I do, yes, I do. I wish I could say no, I don't have it. But you know, unfortunately, yes, I do, but I'm fighting it. You know, I'm enjoying my life.
Speaker 2:I want my fiance to enjoy me Right? Did you start taking meds right away, robert? Or were you in that mindset of oh, I don't want to take medication? How did that work for you? Because we hear different things from people when they first get diagnosed no-transcript.
Speaker 3:Well, basically I'm not a big fan of medication because I've watched my mother actually. I mean she's still around, we're so happy to have her. I mean she's going to be 91. Wow, but the medication is. It was just a tremendous amount of medication when I told myself I'm going to work myself so I wouldn't have to take these medications until I really am at that age. So when the doctor prescribed me the medication, it was yeah, I took it. I started working with it. But let me tell you, being on a PCLA group support group, it really changed a lot for myself, my fiance. It direct us to the right place, to the right doctor, the right medication. I mean, it's just, it's been overwhelming. The information that I received and being in that support group was really very helpful. So, with you know, just understanding instead of just taking the medication and just going forward with just a general neurologist and listening to other people, it's just like wow. You know, I'm glad, I really am glad I got on pcla and joined a support group.
Speaker 3:it really it helped a lot that's great to hear and I try to persuade other people to join a support group any kind of support group because it does it. It's a it's all. It's a lot of information that we don't. I didn't know about. She didn about it on the care partner end of it. So we took it in stride and we just I mean, it could be overwhelming to watch other people with Parkinson's because everybody is different. That is true, everybody is different. But at the same time you're learning. You're learning a lot more for people that have it, that have had it for a while. So that's education right there, and that's something you need to absorb and look at reality at the same time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so as a newcomer into this club, for you, even though it was hard to see, it still was beneficial for you to be able to talk with, see, to talk with other people and and get that information that you wanted. You know, and it's very motivational.
Speaker 3:It's very motivational. It makes you, makes you decide what direction you want to go on. Either you take the low road or you take the high road and run with it and and find the best person you can be.
Speaker 2:Right, and you certainly have done that. I mean you offer a lot, I think, in support groups and to a lot of newer people coming in that look for that inspiration as well.
Speaker 3:Yeah, when I go to the gym I mean it's the same thing People are like I know you can lift more than that. Why can't you lift more? Well, I have Parkinson's, unfortunately, you know. So I'm trying to weight train a little bit more so I won't hurt myself, and they just throw themselves back like you're kidding me. I didn't know you had it. Again, that reaction. It's like you got to live with someone you know to see what they have in their hands, to see what it looks like. But you know.
Speaker 2:It's great about that, Robert, that you know. I think what's very telling that you just said is that you're trying to not hurt yourself, like you are still being proactive by going to the gym, you're still trying to lift weights, but you're giving yourself permission to maybe not push as hard and to be as difficult as it might be, where, if you didn't have PD, you might push a little harder, you might be willing to take the risk of doing something that might not be the best thing for you, absolutely.
Speaker 2:I think that's a really good bit of information for people that are listening. You have to scale yourself properly. You have to really look at what you can do and not try to push it so far to the limits and um.
Speaker 3:I think that's really, really helpful. You have to read your body. I mean, I understand your body at the same time, because you might feel like you can go that extra step, but you might want to hold back a little bit and maybe go the next day on it or so, because your body is going to get tired and you are going to hurt yourself if you don't protect yourself at the same time. So read your body. Don't watch everybody else, watch yourself. Read your body and let your body tell you what you're doing right or wrong. I kind of go in that area. If I'm too tired, I stop, I'm going to go take a nap, I'm going to go rest. You know it. Just because you, you can't hurt yourself.
Speaker 3:I could see people when they're. I mean, it's easy to try to go a little bit stronger or go the extra mile or so, but sometimes you really need to say you really need to say you need to understand your body a little bit more. Just as we get older, you do the same thing. You have to understand your body. It can't take the beating as you were in your you when you're in your 20s. So it's just you've got to do the same yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2:I'm curious about one thing, like do you what? What do you do? Like and I'm sure you've had these days. We're talking about all the good days and going to the gym, but have you had bad days? Have you had a day where you just feel like crap and it's like you just can't do much of anything? And how do you approach that? How do you get through that day? What gets you through that day? Let's put it that way yes, I do.
Speaker 3:I get a lot of those bad days, but I try not to dwell on it. I guess it's hard. Go for a walk, think about stuff, try not to watch too much TV, of course, and that's like the hardest part.
Speaker 3:Yeah, if you can find a routine when you have your good days and you can find a routine when you have your bad days, that's, you know, that's probably the most positive thing you can really do for yourself. I mean, I mean, on your bad days you can probably go for a little walk or just sit on a bench, or or, or just talk to yourself a little bit about it. It's, it's, you know, it depends on the person. You know who you are. How did you take care of your bad days when you, when you didn't have parkinson's? You know he's trying to find a route, because you do have bad days.
Speaker 2:Yes, as a regular person has bad days. Everybody, everybody, has bad days. It's just that we think of.
Speaker 3:Yeah so.
Speaker 3:I mean as a salesperson for so long. I mean you get a lot of the bad days with with customers. So the the first thing I would do is get on my motorcycle and take a little ride up with the Angeles crest and come back and say, all right, now I know why I'm doing this, clear my mind a little bit. Right, exactly so I think if you have a bad day, you try to find a way. What did you do before you know? Did you go get a basketball and play basketball by yourself for a little while? Or did you read a book you know, for some people they could read a book or did you just shut everybody off and just close yourself into an office or your own private room where you could do your your own thing.
Speaker 3:Sometimes that helps, you know. You just don't want to hear anybody, you know I mean your body will tell you yeah have you tried meditation, anything like that?
Speaker 2:do you, have you ever used that, or is that not a tool that you necessarily use?
Speaker 3:not necessary right now. I have not used too much meditation meditation but I believe, like yoga is really good for your body too, but you can sometimes again, it depends on how your body can handle it. You know that's. You know what? The gym has always been part of my life, every day after work and playing racquetball, my soul, pretty much my social life. You know I met a lot of good people, met a lot of professional people, especially playing racquetball. You meet a lot of professional people and it's been really it's helped me out a lot for a person that never went to college. You know meeting a lot of professional people and going to, you know being in sales. At the same time you kind of react the same way as you put your game, what they say, put your game face wherever you go. So that's been part of my life. So that's basically what brings me joy. You know just going out and playing and the drama and winning, losing, Just like in sales, you win, you lose, you do both.
Speaker 3:But then you just get up the next day and you put your pants on and you say, hey, I'm going to be successful today. So you kind of take care of that with yourself.
Speaker 2:I think that's a great way to look at it is I'm going to be successful. And success presents itself in different ways. You know, for some people just getting out of bed is successful. You know, just getting clothes on. Sometimes for some folks that can be, that can be their day. But I think this idea of really giving yourself sort of a pat on the back and saying I can do this, I love that. I love that you're willing to encourage yourself so oftentimes you're your own cheerleader.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. You know, at the same time I think about what I really have. You know, the people in my life, the success stories, successful stories that you've had in the past. You know, I guess Parkinson's sometimes brings you back in the past sometimes, but I've read a little bit about it, especially like in your dreams, and everything. So sometimes you'd be surprised.
Speaker 3:What you remember from what happened in the past and it comes back to you. Sometimes you'd be sad, sometimes you'd be happy. I mean, we all have family issues. That's going on in life and sometimes you kind of want to know how to react to it and then, at the same time, know what you bring good people around you and you get rid of the bad people, and I noticed that that's been happening more often with me, where I just I I keep my good people close and and and separate myself with the bad people that were in my life. You know, or I didn't figure that they were, though, so bad. But then when, when you have Parkinson, you kind of you kind of pick and choose who you want to hang out with or talk to, sometimes, because they're the ones that really care.
Speaker 2:I love that. I love that.
Speaker 3:That's a good point.
Speaker 2:You know how do we choosing the right friends and the people that surround us to keep the positivity going. I think that's very important. So you've really hit on so many things. So now you're seeing a movement disorder specialist. So I'm assuming that was a game changer for you right there, that you were able to get to someone that had more PD experience and specifics. And are there any tips you would want to give to people? Like if you had three takeaways that you'd want to give to people that are listening that maybe they're either newly diagnosed or they've had it for a while but they just are kind of floundering around. You know, they just haven't found their way yet.
Speaker 3:It's funny. I mean mean the three things basically is is find the find the right doctor and movement disorder specialists. I mean that's, that's, that's a major plus. I mean they're so helpful they're, I mean the the feedback to get from them. It's just like wow, that's what I needed because it was a challenge for me to get with that doctor because of the insurance that I had. But you know my fiance, we fought for it and we got it. You know I'm going to USC to go see the doctor and it's great Doing, you know, doing research, read about it. You know there's so much information about Parkinson's now, especially with the phones and the Internet and everything it's. I mean there's a lot of it, but be careful with the bad stuff. I mean there's so much. You know there's so much misinformation about parkinson too, that you're just like what are you serious? Um, no, that's not true, but um, you can go down a rabbit hole.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah and join a support group. Definitely join a support group. It's been very, very, very educational. I mean, my fiancee joined a care partner support group, but it's been very, very, very educational. I mean, my fiance joined a care partner support group, but that's been very good too.
Speaker 3:I mean again it's got its sad situations, but you know what it's got a good situation. People on the support groups are very informative and very good. There are a lot of good people. There's a lot of good people out there. You know there's not a bad people, but there's a lot of good people out there and the support groups are very supportive. I mean it's a lot of information there. Judy, your support group, it's been great.
Speaker 3:Travis is oh thanks you know, even even this podcast, it's been great. You know, you listen to it and you just it, you dwell in it, you're just like, wow, you're right, you're right, maybe, maybe, and that's why you kind of set your goals.
Speaker 2:Well, we're glad to hear that this has been successful for you, robert, and I want to thank you so much for coming on and I hope our listeners pick up a few little tidbits from you, because I have certainly learned a lot from you and your approach and the way you've been able to sort of pivot with your life in a way to keep it meaningful and successful. Because when you have a job, that's a success oriented job where you have numbers behind you to back up what you're doing. Not all jobs are like that, but when you have those numbers, it's really hard to fill space, to be able to keep that success feeling going when you're not working and you're not out there sort of pounding the pavement, you're not seeing clients, you're not bringing in revenue yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean outside sales. For sure it is a tough job, so I really appreciate all that you've brought to the table. Travis, is there anything more you want to chime in on?
Speaker 1:No, just thanks for coming on the show.
Speaker 3:Robert, thanks for coming on the show, robert. Oh, thank you. We're so appreciative. This is an honor. I mean, come on a podcast, to be invited to a podcast, especially myself. It's just like wow, it blew me away. My fiancee was just like she teared up and we were just like wow, this is really cool and I appreciate it. I mean it's great that you get recognized a little bit, you know, in something you do. It just brings back a lot of good memories.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you. We're glad to have you on, and I know our listeners will enjoy this particular episode for sure. So thank you.
Speaker 3:Robert, thank you, thank you, everybody and everybody. Just keep smiling out there, keep smiling. That's that they do when you're smiling. They notice good things about you.
