Possibilities with Parkinson's - a Column by Dr. C

Over the years, I have visited with many neurologists across multiple states regarding my Parkinson’s disease (PD). In their clinical interviews, they ask if I’m thrashing in my sleep. Then, they ask Mrs. Dr. C. It seems that thrashing in one’s sleep an important diagnostic symptom for Parkinson’s. In a…

The power of the human mind to reshape itself, adapt to even the most traumatic of events, is a gift given to me by the head injury patients from my past clinical experience. Their courage inspired me to find a scientific model to help me with my own Parkinson’s disease…

“Why are you standing on top of that chair?” Dr. C sees Neo precariously balanced on the chair under the kitchen ceiling light. Neo is the part of Dr. C’s brain that functions as his inner voice. “This lightbulb has been flickering. It’s so annoying! I’m trying to fix that.”…

Previously, I wrote about the role of the second dopamine center in Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is to monitor homeostasis regulatory systems. Regulatory system malfunction is connected to PD due to insular cortex damage. In early-stage PD, this leads to episodic symptom presentation. At first, these regulatory systems…

In my book “Possibilities with Parkinson’s: A Fresh Look,” the insular cortex is described as the second dopamine center. Researchers surmise that the second dopamine center contributes to the nonmotor symptoms associated with the disease and its individualistic presentation. The second dopamine center is largely responsible for…

“If you have met a person with Parkinson’s, then you have seen just one patient with Parkinson’s.” I heard a medical doctor say this at a Parkinson’s disease (PD) support group meeting and presentation several years ago. After attending four different PD support groups, the truth of individualized presentation was…

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 64. That is close to the average age that most Parkinson’s patients are diagnosed. My goal has been to live to the age of 85, one year beyond the age of my grandfather. In my lineage, he held the record for years lived.

Of 331 million Americans, a total of 600 Olympic athletes from the U.S. competed at the Tokyo Games this year. That makes an Olympian contender a rare breed with extraordinary talents, a special set of attributes, and a dedication to their skills. Of those, a few will take home…

The Parkinson’s thief has stolen something else: my enjoyment of video gaming. My writings are filled with uplifting possibilities, but the Parkinson’s thief strikes relentlessly. The loss of video gaming is gut-wrenching. Video games have been a tool for me, and I have been interviewed about the topic.

Living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been a curse and a blessing. The curse is a progressive chronic illness, and the blessing is being able to write creatively about the experience in a way that helps others. Writing for Parkinson’s News Today provides worthiness, pleasure, and self-expression for me. It’s…