Columns

I took a walk over a waterfall the other day. The power of the water rushing beneath me was incredible. So powerful, in fact, that were I to have fallen in, the chances of survival would have been rather slim. I walked up the edge of the river,…

No two Parkinson’s disease patients are alike I am slowly coming to realize that each diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is unique. PD patients suffer different symptoms and different rates of disease progression. Some remedies work for some, and not for others. In many cases, those of us with PD…

If you were to go to a Parkinson’s disease website, you’d probably find a post on signs and symptoms of PD. The problem is that it can be hard to notice the signs if you are the one with Parkinson’s disease. You may have grown so used…

Someone told you that you or someone you love has Parkinson’s disease (PD). You’ve also heard that it is incurable. Nevertheless, can it be treated? If so, what medicines are used? First, let me say that I was diagnosed with PD over 10 years ago and misdiagnosed with…

My husband and I recently tried out a new restaurant in town (new to us) for lunch to celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary. We decided to sit outside as the weather was nice and it wasn’t smoldering hot. That day, anyhow. We pulled out the cast-iron chairs that…

A few weeks ago, I came across an Everyday Health article about Parkinson’s disease (PD) movies. Not just any Parkinson’s movies, but the best Parkinson’s movies. Using the label “best” is pretty risky when assessing movies, as everyone’s tastes are so different. The article lists the following…

My knees are shaking and it’s not from nervousness. This is Parkinson’s disease. Stiff muscles abound throughout my aching body. This is Parkinson’s disease. My lips quiver, my teeth click, smiles turn into frowns. This is Parkinson’s disease. My toes and fingers bend involuntarily because … this…

Fourth in a series. Read part one, two, and three. In this column, the letter D is for dystonia, drooling, and dandelions. Dystonia Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that causes sustained muscle contractions (ouch!). Twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures (more ouch) can…

Serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine are all chemicals involved in regulating mood, energy, motivation, appetite, and sleep. Also, the brain’s frontal lobe, which is important in controlling mood, is known to be underactive in people with Parkinson’s disease. It’s no wonder that Parkinson’s patients may look sad. We have every…

“Invisible” disease: a disease that is not necessarily visible to the human eye; hidden; concealed from others. Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be known as an “invisible” disease. However, since PD is most commonly characterized by tremors in the extremities and shaking, most people don’t think of it as…