Columns

The other day, my friend Jeanette shared a Facebook post stating that having Parkinson’s disease had changed her personality, thinking, and decision-making skills. Having Parkinson’s disease causes her anxiety and depression. And besides, she said, she liked her old personality. How true this statement is for people having…

Steven Curtis Chapman said it best: 
”I don’t even wanna breathe right now …I don’t even wanna be right now I don’t wanna think another thought …I don’t wanna feel this pain I feel 
[but] right now, pain is all I’ve got.” It was…

If you’ve flown on an airplane from here to there and the weather was bad and visibility nil, you likely didn’t see much more than a layer of dark, gray clouds. However, every once in a while there is a little hole — a pocket — in which…

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have pet peeves they loathe, treasures they love, and things they want. Following are some of them. Feel free to add to the lists in the comments section below. 10 things Parkinson’s patients loathe: A doctor who obviously couldn’t care less. Trying to do something…

One of my grandson’s favorite things to do when we go for a walk is to follow his shadow or to chase mine. It brings out the giggles in him. One of the hardest things for those who struggle with a chronic illness such as Parkinson’s disease is…

It’s not uncommon for spouses to decide to leave when the other gets sick. I think it could be a matter of “having had it up to here” and then finding out the one you’ve “put up with” for so long now has a condition that will most…

In my last column, “I Have Parkinson’s Disease and This Is How It Affects Me, Part 1,” I shared what having Parkinson’s disease is like, according to those who live with it on a daily basis. This is second in the series.  It’s my body, but I’m…

I am not a writer. A little history In 2010, I retired from a 37-year career in the information technology industry. For many years, I relied on the analytical side of my brain. While in retirement, I decided the time was right to exercise the more visual and perceptual side of…

First in a series. You have Parkinson’s disease (PD). If someone were to observe you, what would they see (external symptoms/issues) that is attributed to having Parkinson’s disease? What wouldn’t they see (internal symptoms/issues) that is attributed to having this disease? This is not just my story. This…

Editor’s Note: This is a guest column by John L. Lehr, CEO of the Parkinson’s Foundation, marking Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Every April, the Parkinson’s Foundation engages the global Parkinson’s community to support this national observance — but this year, these activities are particularly important. Why is this the case? By…