Living My Best Life - a Column by Christine Scheer

During the time in my life when I was busy and always rushing around, with no idea what Parkinson’s disease even was, my husband, John, and I “peaked” on pets: 12 chickens, five cats, two sheep, and two dogs. When I got home from work, I’d rush over to…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with marijuana. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I am part of a Parkinson’s walking group that meets every Tuesday. We walk for 30 minutes, then sit down for…

A couple of years ago, one of the Parkinson’s organizations asked: “What good things have happened to you because of your Parkinson’s diagnosis?” I found this question really interesting, because I think most of us with this disease think that if anything good happens to us, it’s despite our…

Do you ever feel like screaming? On the inside, I scream fairly often. Usually, the theme is “You don’t understand!” and it’s in conjunction with some incident where it’s very clear that 1) the person doesn’t know me at all, and 2) all they can see is a shaky, slow,…

A friend told me recently that she was very fearful about what the future held for her with Parkinson’s disease. This got me thinking about how I feel about the future. Was I afraid? After some soul searching, I realized that, at this point at least, I’m not afraid.

Last in a series. Read part one. Recently, I had terrible abdominal pain in the middle of the night. It was so bad that I was doubled over and couldn’t sleep. I thought it was appendicitis, or kidney stones, or maybe diverticulosis. I tried to walk it off and…

First in a series. We were careening down our gravel road at breakneck speed. “Can you go any faster?” I yelled at my husband, John. Gravel flew out from under the car tires, squirrels scattered, and my eyeballs were sweating. We live on a peaceful farm that is accessible by…

Getting older isn’t for sissies, my mom always said. She also said “Merry Christmas” to me in July one year and noted how everyone in her care home had gray hair (she had been gray since her 30s). She was spot on about the challenges of aging, though, especially for…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with probiotics. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy or supplement. What I’m about to share with you is not an endorsement of any product; it’s simply my own story.

Even though I can still drive, I always welcome the offer of a drive somewhere by somebody else. It’s not just about the convenience but the companionship that comes with it. Usually, it’s my husband, John, but often, it’s our good friends and neighbors who step in. Their patience and…