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Notable events, like my granddaughter’s school play, often are not scheduled to accommodate my Parkinson’s disease (PD). Usually, early evening events seem to occur exactly as I reach the peak of my worst “off” period. But will I miss these types of activities? No! I need to be out…

Keeping adequate reserve in our personal reservoir of energy helps us to be available for the lucid times. We need to minimize fatigue and add richness to life despite living with a chronic illness like Parkinson’s disease (PD). Managing the well of resources involves not only filling up the…

For many of us with Parkinson’s disease, traveling can trigger anxiety, but a successful trip is still possible. While extra planning, extra time, and good shoes are a great place to start, sometimes they are not enough. The method of travel that suits our needs may require asking for help, or as we…

My experience with Parkinson’s disease was limited until my dad was diagnosed with it in 2013. A man in our church had it, and I used to notice his unsteady hand. Eventually, he stopped going to church. I remember feeling incredibly sad about how a disease could make people retreat…

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a tough life and not to be taken lightly. With all the serious aspects of PD that manifest in our lives and the effort needed to manage them, it’s hard to find time to be light and playful. With tongue in cheek, following…

“Just sit and watch him,” said his wife, with affirming nods from their children. They were heading out to enjoy some respite from the demands of caring for a terminally ill family member. It was the same set of instructions my hospice supervisor gave me about spending time with this…

Last November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Exablate Neuro to treat motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease patients, as reported by Parkinson’s News Today‘s Patricia Inacio, PhD. Created by medical device company Insightec, Exablate Neuro is a magnetic resonance, image-guided, focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) system that can treat tremors…

When a person advocates for themselves, they can achieve great things. I recently had a conversation with an advocate for the Parkinson’s Foundation, Ann Kopf. Ann lives in Milwaukee and works with different staff members in the foundation to support others with Parkinson’s. I emailed her to learn more…

When my dad, Jim, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, he fought the idea of pursuing Parkinson’s-specific exercise classes and seeking out others in the Parkinson’s community. Nobody wants to admit they’re getting weaker or are in trouble, and I think that initially, he was afraid to categorize…

Since April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, I thought it would be a great opportunity to write about reasons to have hope for people affected with the disease, as well as their caregivers. My sister Bev has stage 3 Parkinson’s (PD) and was diagnosed in 2017. She currently experiences hand…