Columns

After my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, one of the most frightening parts for me was learning about the later stages of the disease. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease, and it’s hard to think about how the symptoms will worsen over time. Of course,…

When my husband was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease at age 38, I worried about the effects it would have on him and my children, but I didn’t think about the ways it would alter my own life. As a mother and wife, my priorities were…

As I sit here at 4:30 a.m. typing up this week’s column, how many of you are also up late reading Parkinson’s News Today or visiting the forums? As sleep eludes us, we chat online across different time zones and connect with others who are also managing…

I’m casually strolling through the grocery store, a simple pleasure we all took for granted before the COVID-19 lockdowns. How exciting it is to be able to be in a store again, instead of ordering groceries online and having them tossed on our doorstep. Although I love the convenience…

Every Tuesday afternoon you can see us. We might be outside at the park or, if there’s inclement weather, inside at the mall. Sometimes there are only two of us; other times, there are up to 12. It’s our Tuesday walking group for people with Parkinson’s disease. The casual…

 “Let’s play a game,” my sister, Anne Marie, suggested one balmy summer evening. Our entire family had congregated in Northern Michigan for a weeklong vacation, and we were looking to create some fun. Anne Marie explained the rules of the game: One player would read a question out…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with vitamin B1, as well as other supplements and treatments. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a magic pill that combated the…

Here is a riddle for you: “How do people with Parkinson’s disease shave?” “Very carefully!” Not long after my husband Arman’s diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2009, it was clear that shaving had become a complicated process. In the years before he had deep brain…

Many losses are associated with Parkinson’s disease, some more impactful than others. So far, because of deep brain stimulation (DBS), which I had in 2021, I’ve had more gains than losses in the past couple of years. It’s changed my life for the better in so many ways,…

My husband, Arman, and I spent almost 20 years of our married life in one house. Before that, we moved several times during his medical training, but the majority of our family memories were created in that house. It was the place our three children considered home. We moved into…