Columns

As you probably know by now if you’ve been reading my column, my late uncle Brandon liked to stay on the move. His career involved hands-on work, building things from the ground up, and figuring out problems on his own. That hardworking mentality wasn’t just part of his job. It…

My husband, Arman, who has early-onset Parkinson’s disease, and I don’t get to the movies very often. Instead, we prefer to wait and stream films from the comfort of home. But when the movie “Wicked” was released in theaters in November 2024, there was no way our small TV…

For 11 wonderful years, we were blessed with having a beautiful Bernese mountain dog called Kona in our lives. He’s been gone nine years, and I still think about and talk about him nearly every day. He was 97 pounds of love, joy, and fur. He was goofy — as…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with levodopa. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I live my life in borrowed moments. These are times when my body works, my mind is clear, and I can almost…

There’s a moment that many Parkinson’s families encounter at some point. Maybe they’re on the road with a loved one with Parkinson’s who is driving, and they notice slight swerving over the center lane, as I did a few years ago with my dad. Or maybe the moment happens…

Faith has always been at the center of my family’s life. As I grew up, I saw my family face tough times, believing that God would help us through. Strength, prayer, perseverance, and trust in God were just part of our daily lives. So, when my uncle Brandon was diagnosed…

My birthday is this month, and I’m turning 49. I’m not doing anything particularly exciting to celebrate, just dinner with some friends and my husband. Low-key birthdays are fine by me, but it is a big deal to be entering the last year of my 40s. I started this decade…

I’m training for a 5K race in June. The training plan is taped onto the fridge door, and I’m following it to a T. Except for the part where it says “run” — that’s where I alternate walking and running for one minute each. This method makes a 5K totally…

Before Parkinson’s disease, my late uncle Brandon was always on the move. He always needed something to do, especially on weekends. If he wasn’t planning a hunting trip, he was outside grilling ribs, sausage, or brisket and inviting neighbors over without a second thought. The house was rarely quiet.

Parkinson’s disease is an illness that slowly progresses every day. Symptoms change, medication side effects vary, falls happen, and there is always an element of the unknown. Because of this, caring for a person with Parkinson’s also changes every day. As soon as I think I have…