Columns

First in a two-part series. With Father’s Day coming up this weekend, I decided to get my father’s thoughts on Parkinson’s disease. I would like to introduce my best friend, biggest cheerleader, and voice of reason: my dad, Craig Barbian. Technically retired and in his 60s, he works part time…

Using a healthy diet and hydration as tools to manage Parkinson’s symptoms seems like a simple concept. Drink water and eat a balanced diet. Yes, it sounds easy … but you’ll find it’s challenging once you give it a try! However, if you start…

Kick up your heels and get ready: A unique adventure awaits, and your shaking, trembling, and balance issues won’t stop you! Dance classes have emerged as a means to improve motor skills and cognitive abilities for those with Parkinson’s disease (PD), while also boosting their personal artistic expression. According to…

Dear new Parkinson’s patient (aka Parkie), Welcome to your new lifelong community. It’s sort of like you are marrying the disease. “Do you, new Parkinson’s patient, take this disease to be your (maybe not one and only) condition?” “Sadly, I do, until death do us part.” When you’re newly…

When I stumble through the door on my recent visit home, I’m not entirely prepared for the sight that greets me. My dad looks like he’s walking through molasses, and my mom is hobbling around on a bad hip. I’d seen them both just a few months earlier. Mom’s…

If you ask others what vulnerability means, they’ll often respond with something that implies weakness. Many people affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD) may believe the falsehood that they no longer are enough of a person because of their vulnerability. Caregivers and family…

A few months ago, I was flabbergasted to be diagnosed with osteoporosis. In May 2020, I shattered the ulna in my left arm when I fell off my bike. While I suspected osteoporosis might have had a hand in such a bad fracture, I was still unprepared to receive…

My clinical training is in helping people recover from brain injury. After receiving my Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis and reading that scientists believe the disease is linked to the destruction of dopamine-producing neurons, I began thinking of Parkinson’s as a brain injury. While working with brain injury patients, I’d…

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” I’m sure many of you recognize that quote from Shakespeare. If you don’t, no big deal, just blame it on the Parkinson’s. But how in the world does theatrical performance have anything to do with Parkinson’s? How will Shakespeare help me in my…

When the Michael J. Fox Foundation and DNA-testing company 23andMe collaborated to gather genetic data for Parkinson’s research, I quickly signed up. Using 23andMe’s service would allow me to both learn about my ancestry and contribute to important research. It was a win for everyone. But I…