“Please Be in Prayer.” D.A. Carson Ceases Ministry Involvements Amid Debilitating Parkinson’s Diagnosis
The Gospel Coalition has released a statement asking for prayer for Don (D.A) Carson, the organization’s co-founder and “theologian-at-large” amid a debilitating battle with Parkinson’s disease. This illness has left him with decreased cognitive and physical limitations, resulting in the ceasing of all speaking engagements and ministry involvement.
In the referenced Christmas letter, Church Leaders reports Carson’s analysis of his own declining state:
“The physical limitations arising from my Parkinson’s Disease slow me down, but the cognitive limitations constitute a more serious impediment,” Carson wrote. “A few weeks ago, for several minutes I tried to convince my neurologist that we are living in 2008.”
Carson added that he “could not remember the name of the first president of the United States. (I thought of offering to provide the name of the first Prime Minister of Canada, which I could remember, but I doubt that the neurologist would have been impressed.).”
“I am still serving on the elders board of our church, but no longer in any public capacity. At the end of November, I attended what will probably turn out to be my last conference of the Evangelical Theological Society,” Carson said.
Carson also shared his plans to give away some of his belongings. “It is time to get rid of my books, tools, and other accouterments so that Joy, [my wife], is not left to clean up my mess,” he said. “In any case, I am not suffering from anything that a good general resurrection can’t fix.”
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I can’t imagine what it’s like to realize you’re losing your mental faculties.
His quote about how he is “not suffering from anything that a good general resurrection can’t fix” is something all Christians can relate to because if we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19).
My wife was diagnosed of Parkinson’s Disease at age 61. She had severe calf pain, muscle pain, tremors, slurred speech, frequent falls, loss of balance, difficulty in getting up from sitting position. She was put on Senemet for 6 months and then Siferol was introduced and replaced the Senemet. During this time span she was also diagnosed with dementia. She started having hallucinations and lost touch with reality. Last year, our family doctor started her on Uine Health Centre PD-5 formula, 2 months into treatment she improved dramatically. At the end of the full treatment course, the disease is totally under control. No case of dementia, hallucination, weakness, muscle pain or tremors. My wife is strong again and has gone on with her daily activities as I share this experience. I’m surprised a lot of PWP haven’t heard of PD-5 formula. we got the treatment from their website uinehealth centre . co m