Columns

Winter has just about landed upon us, and it’s getting to be that time of year when we hang up garden tools, freeze-proof the outside water spigots, and pull out the heavy sweaters and rain boots. For many of us, it also means trying to get warm and…

Impulsivity is a symptom commonly associated with both Parkinson’s disease (PD) and some of the medications used to treat it. Impulsivity involves acting on urges with little thought to the consequences — that seven-year itch that feels like it must be scratched — regardless of the problems that may…

Some people’s reactions to a person with a disability can be disheartening. They stare, make thoughtless comments, point fingers, or whisper. Some people don’t know how to handle a person who has an obvious disease, disability, or illness. They may be uncomfortable around one who is disabled, which…

There’s a saying in the Parkinson’s community that I struggle with: “You don’t die from Parkinson’s.”  I understand that well-meaning people with good intentions make this statement. However, just as a natural disaster may not directly kill its victims, many deaths happen as consequences of an earthquake…

Editor’s note: This column discusses suicide. Pivotal events in my life have piqued my interest in Lewy bodies. The first event was on March 15, 2015, when my life partner, Steve, killed himself. The second was my diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in November 2015. My fascination with Lewy bodies…

Years ago when I was first diagnosed, my partner asked the neurologist, “Is there something we can do about his irritability?” The doctor responded, “I wish I had a dollar for every time a partner made this request.” It seems this is a prevalent issue. In past columns I have addressed…

A continuation of the “ABCs of Parkinson’s” series. You’ve likely heard that one’s man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Well, if not, you just did. One of my favorite things to do is to go to yard sales or thrift stores. I don’t look for anything in…

Aren’t you tired of taking medicine? You wake up shaking and can’t just go and shower the way you used to because your body doesn’t listen to your brain. Instead of hopping in and out of the shower, the process takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r. Before you “hop in and out,”…

A continuation of the “ABCs of Parkinson’s” series. When people hear Parkinson’s disease (PD) mentioned, their memory likely turns to thoughts of Michael J. Fox or someone who shakes all the time. Their memory would serve them well. However, if that is the only thing they think…

I was working as a crisis clinician when the twin towers fell. My colleagues and I saw an increase in the number of people needing help with anxiety-related mental health issues. Sheldon Solomon, PhD, explained this phenomenon with his terror management theory – which is concerned with how humans…