Columns

We have become a screen society. Our days are often spent looking at screens rather than each other. I am no exception. There are digital versions of just about everything nowadays, including traditional board games. While apps can be convenient and beneficial, the feeling isn’t the same — using…

I’m always on the hunt for different ways to find relief and even joy from what seems to be constant loss. Since my father’s Parkinson’s diagnosis, I have turned to reading books about the disease to see how others have managed the sadness that comes with this illness. Seeing…

Everyone needs support. Whether a person is living with a chronic disease, serving as a caregiver for someone with an illness, or just living life, everybody needs support — to be encouraged, to be lifted up, or to have someone to share their experiences with.  I…

Over the years, I have visited with many neurologists across multiple states regarding my Parkinson’s disease (PD). In their clinical interviews, they ask if I’m thrashing in my sleep. Then, they ask Mrs. Dr. C. It seems that thrashing in one’s sleep an important diagnostic symptom for Parkinson’s. In a…

When a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at a young age, many thoughts swirl through their head. Once the dust starts to settle, they’ll likely start thinking about their career. Will they be able to continue working? If so, how long? What will happen when they can’t? Will they…

Caregivers for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) know the physical and emotional toll it exacts on those who suffer from it. The financial burden from Parkinson’s disease is less well known. My sister Bev has stage 3 PD and struggles with balance, cognitive, and falling issues. She also…

The power of the human mind to reshape itself, adapt to even the most traumatic of events, is a gift given to me by the head injury patients from my past clinical experience. Their courage inspired me to find a scientific model to help me with my own Parkinson’s disease…

As Parkinson’s disease progresses, it can become harder for someone to find physical activities they can do with others, which can affect their social life. However, a few years ago, my husband, Mike, and I discovered something we could do together: kayaking. Like other paddle sports, kayaking incorporates many…

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a serious illness that can have major effects on a person, both physically and emotionally. As a caregiver to my older sister, Bev, I have witnessed those changes in her after she was diagnosed in 2017. But can there be a lighter side to the disease?…

“Why are you standing on top of that chair?” Dr. C sees Neo precariously balanced on the chair under the kitchen ceiling light. Neo is the part of Dr. C’s brain that functions as his inner voice. “This lightbulb has been flickering. It’s so annoying! I’m trying to fix that.”…