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…
My husband, John, and I recently embarked on a memorable trip to the Dominican Republic. We’ve been there before, but this year was special: We’d be babysitting our 6-month-old granddaughter for part of the time and enjoying the company of her parents and the sunny and gorgeous Dominican weather. My…
I love a good routine. Every morning, I have a cup of tea and a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and I’ve been doing that for at least 10 years. It’s super satisfying, and I see no reason to change it. Every night, my husband, John, and I watch “Jeopardy!”…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with deep brain stimulation. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015, things weren’t too bad. I had a slight tremor…
This winter has been hard here in Ontario, Canada. It’s been cold, dark, and snowy. Plus, my Parkinson’s symptoms worsened, with freezing and dyskinesia happening more frequently, my balance being at an all-time low, and fatigue ruling my days. In the past, I’d been able to keep most of my…
“Parkinson’s is like falling in love — without the love.” I saw this quote on social media a few months ago, and it made me chuckle. I thought it would be good to share with you this Valentine’s Day, as I’ve been thinking about falls quite a bit lately.
Do you remember those early days when you were newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease? Can you think of anything someone could’ve said to make you feel better? What do you wish they would’ve told you? I was asked this question a couple weeks ago by someone who had recently…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Botox. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. The best way I can describe my relationship with Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) is love-hate. I love the results, but hate the process.
Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but never got around to doing it? For me, that thing was pottery. I believed it was something I could master, and that it’d fill a creative void in me. I took my first pottery course about 20 years ago with my…
Last in a series. Read parts one and two. Before I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015, I used to love getting in front of people to talk to them, usually about food, farming, or buying locally. I found it thrilling. I felt confident and intelligent…
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