<div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"> <div class="width-682"> <div> <h1 class="medium centered">Now I've learned how to live with Parkinson&rsquo;s</h1> </div> <div class="text-center"> <div class="text-center"><img style="width: 682px; height: 400px;" src="http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01394/SNA2032X1-682_1394311a.jpg" alt="The only way is up ... Gavin Hastings, left, is joining climb with our Jen, right, to help wife Diane, centre"> <div class="padding-top-5"> <div class="small bold">The only way is up ... Gavin Hastings is joining the climb with our Jen right, to help wife Diane</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="column-off margin-bottom-10 float-left" style="background: #e9e9e9;"> <div class="padding-left-right-10 padding-bottom-10"> <h2 class="very-small">The mum of two was diagnosed with Parkinson's aged just 39. She tells <strong>YVONNE BOLOURI </strong>how her life has changed since her diagnosis.</h2> </div> </div> </div> <div class="clear-left"> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div> <hr> </div> <p>To an onlooker, Diane Hastings has a charmed life.</p> <p>But&nbsp;eight years ago Diane was diagnosed with the degenerative brain disorder Parkinson's disease.</p> <p>She was only 39 years old and the news came as a devastating blow to the family.</p> <p>Disbelief, anger, tears and depression rocked her to the core.</p> <p><em>But resilient Diane did what she knows best &mdash; she got on with life.</em></p> <p>Now 47, she controls her symptoms with medication and is firmly in control.</p> <p>Diane was referred for tests and scans at Edinburgh's Western General Hospital. Parkinson's was diagnosed straight away.</p> <p>She said: "I was gobsmacked. I thought Parkinson's only happened to old people. I was 39.</p> <p>"At the time Gavin was in Australia at the 2003 Rugby World Cup. I had to phone him with the news. It was not a good time.</p> <p>But she said: "I didn't know much about Parkinson's so I looked on websites and to be honest, they go into too much detail and aren't very positive.</p> <p>"So I stopped that. Of course I cried and I had my black moments.</p> <p>"It took a few weeks to sink in but by the time Gavin was due home, I had my head round it.</p> <p>"<em> I realised this was the card I'd been dealt, and there was nothing I could do about it."</em></p> <p>"Medication made me feel completely well. The stiffness improved, my energy levels went up and I realised that living with Parkinson's isn't a death sentence."</p> <p>"When you have something like Parkinson's private healthcare won't cover you but my NHS treatment has been superb.</p> <p>"My doctor and consultant are just an email away if I need help, and the neurologist is the same one I had when I was in private healthcare."</p> <p>"I look after myself, watch what I eat and we've now got two dogs so I exercise them for an hour every morning. I'd never have done that before, but now, when I miss a morning, I really miss the benefits.</p> <p>She said: "I'm extremely proud of Gavin and the kids. Gavin is going to be 50 in January so we're planning something special.</p> <p>"He's climbing Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Funding Neuro charity. We met the founder Bryn Williams, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's when he was 36, through a mutual friend, so Gavin does a lot of fundraising for Wobbly Williams.</p> <p>"When Gavin's away, we usually Skype but I don't think he'll be able to do that on the top of a mountain!"</p> <p>Diane understands the devastation of a Parkinson's diagnosis but insists there is hope.</p> <p>She advised: "Accept it, take the medication and enjoy your life.</p> <p><em>"Of course, I'd rather not have it, but things could be a whole lot worse."</em></p> </div> </div>