Columns

Every year the president of the United States gives a State of the Union address, telling citizens (and the world) how he thinks things are going. This is me telling readers how I’m doing. It’s been eight years since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. After writing two books…

When my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, I didn’t expect the disease to transform my worldview. But it did. Learning about the disease instilled a sense of fear and sadness in me. At first, I saw only the horror that Parkinson’s creates. How could a…

What is the best way to let your family, friends, and colleagues know that you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD)? Or any disease for that matter? When is the appropriate time? Should you wait until they start worrying about the changes they see and assume the worst?…

I had plans for a day in paradise. Crisp fall weather beckoned me outside to the garden. It was also day three of my 10-day Parkinson’s week, which is usually a good day. I was eager to get into the day, but Parkinson’s disease had other plans. The night…

What is an APP? Advanced practice providers are highly educated healthcare professionals with advanced degrees and rigorous clinical training. We know them primarily as physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs). As clinicians, they play a vital role in the ever-changing and evolving healthcare system. APPs may provide many patient…

Sometimes I treat my husband, Arman, like a child. Actually, more like a baby. It’s not because this is my nature; quite the opposite. Although I did baby our youngest child, Jake, a bit (of course), it was only because I just loved holding on to the feeling of being…

Parkinson’s is a progressive brain disease. While symptoms and disease progression are unique to each person, knowing the stages of Parkinson’s can help. Some people experience changes over 20 years or more, while others find that the disease progresses more quickly. During the first five years after…

As my husband, Arman, our son, Jake, and I arrived at our local hardware store one day many years ago, I never could’ve imagined it’d still be a vivid memory for Jake, who was 6 and is now 19. We were likely looking for tools for a fun project he’d…

Author and neurologist Oliver Sacks used the term “crisis” to describe the episodes when Parkinson’s symptoms flare up. I’ve called these events surges, off periods, and bad days. In his classic “Awakenings,” Sacks describes the symptoms of one Parkinson’s disease patient by saying, “No…

Every November brings a rush of emotions for me, and Nov. 1 and 21 are the most emotional of all. On Nov. 1, 2011, my grandfather passed away. We had a close relationship, and losing him was absolutely devastating. Twenty days later, I was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease at…