There are no blood tests, or scans to tell one’s doctor that they have Parkinson’s, in 1967 some doctors developed a system of stages to determine how advanced the condition is.
There are five stages of Parkinson’s, here is a brief description of the stages.
STAGE 1: People with Parkinson’s have symptoms only one one side of the body, such as a tremor or some rigidity and slowness of movement in one arm or leg (or both if on the same side of the body).
STAGE 2: Symptoms appear on both sides of the body or in the midline of the body, such as decreased facial expression, drooling, stooping or shuffling while walking. However, there are no problem with balance. The first two stages are considered mild.
STAGE 3: As soon as the sufferer begins having trouble with balance they have crossed into stage three. In this stage they don’t need help walking or getting up from a seated position but their body movements are becoming increasingly slow. The disease is now considered mild to moderate.
STAGE 4: A person with Parkinson’s can no longer be completely independent, with symptoms including disabling slowness of movement and stiffness are moderate to severe. The disease impact on balance and walking is so great that them suffer usually needs help to walk. However, they can generally still get in and out of bed and in and out of a chair without help.
STAGE 5: Once the sufferer is unable to get up from a chair or in and out of bed without help they have crossed into stage five and will require help with pretty much daily actives and may soon find themselves in a nursing home.
Jo-AnneRamplings 
Dearest Jo-Anne,
Our former dentist had Parkinson’s and as it progressed he took his own life by shooting himself in the head. What a shock for his wife to find him like that!
Another past Rotary District Governor, former military person, also had Parkinson’s and he and his wife moved to another State near their daughter. He already did pass away.
It sure is a very sad development and meanwhile with the help of specific medication it seems to be delayed a lot.
As for several of the symptoms, I’ve lived through them with my nerve damage after both surgeries for the stent–graft in thoracic spine area. Could not get up from bed, from a chair and walking my legs gave way. That is improving ever so slowly, also with some weight gain. One of the Home Health Care Nurses said that losing weight at my age means mainly losing muscle mass… So true! Never had any fat to begin with but gaining muscle power back is a long, long journey!
But I’m alive—could have been killed by that car.
Hugs and hoping your advancement will be in real slow motion!
Mariette
As I am sure you understand such conditions help make us strong and make me thing for the saying what doesn’t kill you can make you stronger but it is hard and some days will be harder then others. When things are hard I have to remind myself to take a deep breath, slowly move my body and let it pass. There are days I feel like taking up smoking…………..lol
💞