Columns

I received an email yesterday from my mother-in-law. It had been forwarded to her from a friend of hers. It was missing the attachment, so I don’t know what the email said apart from the five words found in the subject line. They read: “Why I wear two masks.” It…

This holiday season plucked discordant strings of loneliness for me, which resonated off-key because of an overlap with exacerbating Parkinson’s symptoms. We tried the family video chat. Maybe we are too old-fashioned, but the experience left us feeling empty and even lonelier. Mrs. Dr. C had a slight advantage with…

Ever since I can remember, I have loved to write short stories, articles, poems, novels, essays, and more. I entered some of my writing into contests, won a few (mostly in the short stories category), and received a few awards. As a young teenager, I asked my grandmother to read…

I never realized the benefits of music until I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Early in my diagnosis, I met Alexander Pantelyat, MD, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine, who introduced me to both music and dance. Together with boxing and other exercises,…

“What?” I ask from across the room, closing the distance between my dad and me. I don’t want to ask him to repeat himself again. “Can you grab me a glass of water and my pills?” Dad raises his voice, and this time I hear him. I fill a mug…

I do it. You do it. Let’s be honest — we all do it. We make a pretty good attempt at creating a list of new resolutions that we hope will change our lives. Of course, we have to follow through and do them if we expect to see or…

I am seeking the joy in life. It’s difficult with medical setbacks or the off-period surges of pain and emotion. But joy is still available. I know it. I feel it. I’m showing up every day to find it, even during the worst of times. There are times when my…

A fire in the fireplace snaps, crackles, and pops as it warms my toes and casts dancing shadows on the walls. Nearby, a cup of spiced tea sits on the table beside me, filling the room with a fragrant aroma of cinnamon and other magical, tantalizing odors. Fresh baked…

Growing up, I had always wanted to be a teacher. However, when applying to colleges, I was encouraged to try engineering. My dad had always wanted one of his kids to be an engineer. I was the youngest and his last chance. So, I decided…

It’s hard to look back on this past year without finding some sort of grief, anger, confusion, heartache, or other emotion that gives us pause. We stop and ask ourselves if anything good has come of this year or if we took unwelcome steps, one after another, that led…