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Many years ago, my dad began to lose his sense of smell. A doctor told him that it was likely because of his nasal polyps — small, noncancerous growths that can be caused by long-term inflammation. These polyps are relatively common, affecting up to 40% of the…

Living with Parkinson’s disease means constantly negotiating the unpredictable: tremors that come and go without warning, stiffness that turns a short walk into a major expedition, fatigue that hits like a wave. It’s easy, almost automatic, to want to handle it all quietly. I don’t want to be a…

Last month, in honor of Mother’s Day, I shared some lessons I learned from my mom that have helped me through my journey with Parkinson’s disease. This month, I wanted to share a bit about my dad and the journey we both went through when I was diagnosed.

“Squash the bug, Barry!” my friend Dave yelled across the boxing gym. Our other friend Barry had been on his way to get a drink of water and had frozen. When Dave shouted, Barry lifted one leg and stomped it down (picture somebody squishing a bug), and that got him…

As we headed to bed last night, it was storming loudly, with hail and terrible wind. Lightning flashed in the windows, and the rain came down all night long. When we awoke in the morning, the first words from my husband, Arman, were “Did the gorilla moo?” I wasn’t sure…

When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 36 years old, I was just reaching the acceleration curve in my career. I was somewhat known in my industry, enjoyed my job, had great colleagues, and traveled the world meeting with clients and speaking to groups of people. For most…

My sister is getting married this year. We’re all in a tizzy about it, updating our passports and getting excited about traveling to a wedding we weren’t sure would ever come. Having more reasons to celebrate and come together is a light in the darkness and a refreshing way to…

Almost daily I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to have had deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery to treat my Parkinson’s disease. I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2013, at the age of 36. In the fall of 2019, I had DBS surgery. My life has been…

Do you ever have moments when you forget you have Parkinson’s disease? Sometimes, in those first few sleepy moments when I wake up, I feel good. Then, of course, I start to tremor, or my muscles clench, or I get out of bed and can hardly stand. It’s…

It was a cold, gray, rainy Saturday in Cleveland. My husband, Arman, and I would typically spend this kind of day relaxing at home, reading, renting a movie, or binge-watching a series while I fold laundry. But this day was different. I’d signed up for the Cleveland Clinic’s annual…