Columns

Chronic illness is expensive. It costs money, time, and peace of mind. Whether you’re sifting through your worries or counting the pennies in your pocket, illnesses affect all avenues of life. Before the symptoms of a disease appear, one may go about daily life unencumbered…

I have been seeing a physical therapist four times a week for the last month. I hadn’t injured myself, though I experience aches and pains with Parkinson’s disease. My neurologist referred me to a physical therapist who teaches the BIG program. The LSVT BIG program…

Plant-based diets might aid in the prevention and reversal of disease. People with Parkinson’s disease can benefit from plant-based diets. Plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan diets I became a vegetarian over 10 years ago. I chose not to eat red meat, chicken, or fish for animal welfare reasons. After…

I saw a musical movie with my daughter a while back. We were the only people in the theater and we had a great time. The only problem is that these types of movies awaken my repressed desire to sing and dance, much to my family’s despair.  I left…

We all fear something. Some of us fear death. Some of us fear being left alone. Others have a fear of failure. This journey we are on can be full of treks through deep, dark forests, roads full of potholes, and mountains we must climb. When I hear the word…

This column is about strength and how we endure despite our challenges with Parkinson’s. As politician and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” We often feel…

The healing relationship holds a sacred place for people as they search for a path to well-being moments. This relationship offers every possibility for allowing those moments to occur. It is a safe place and a sanctuary that aims to facilitate and bear witness to the experience of well-being. The…

I wonder if my dad’s battle with ulcerative colitis is linked to his struggles with Parkinson’s disease. Because of a series of medical complications, he’s missing his colon, a vital part of the digestion process. This affects how he digests food and medicine, which in turn affects his intestinal…

How can we experience real joy when we struggle to be thankful? Dealing with difficult circumstances, particularly when living with a chronic illness such as Parkinson’s disease, can lead us to have a grim outlook on life. We can become embittered when things don’t go as we’d expected or wanted.

We often try to hide from the world when we feel inadequate, abnormal, or different. It’s a natural defense that can be destructive when it leads to feelings of shame. Shame is an emotion we would rather avoid. It can come upon us unexpectedly. We tend to associate it with…