Columns

When I started writing this column, I was having a pity party and was in a bad place. Wanting to reflect positivity, I decided to stop writing until I had a better frame of mind. Why was I feeling sorry for myself? More than four years have passed since…

I have had several surgeries in my lifetime but have never fretted over them beforehand. I think that’s because the procedures were all to deal with my Parkinson’s disease, and I explicitly trusted the doctors in each situation. As I write this, I have another surgery tomorrow, and I must…

I’m notorious for attempting to convince everyone in my life to get a dog. I love the furry animals, but I often travel or am in places that aren’t particularly dog-friendly. So my latest mission is to convince my dad to get a dog. Could…

The other day, I filled out a form requesting my name and email address. It also asked me to check a little box. That was it. So I filled out my information and left the little box unchecked. It took me about 37 seconds to fill out the form and…

Life can be hard. It is painfully true: Life is so very hard. Not all of us suffer from Parkinson’s disease, but maybe our young child is fighting diabetes. Perhaps a friend is battling cancer. Maybe our spouse is struggling with an addiction. We experience feelings of anger, sadness, confusion,…

At my last presentation to a support group for Parkinson’s disease (PD), one attendee said, “My husband wobbles a lot when getting up from the sofa. I’m afraid he will fall. What can we do about that?” I asked her husband to stand, which he did with grace. A slight…

I had a pretty good day recently. It was better than I’d had in a long while. I remember thinking that I could forget I had Parkinson’s disease if every day was like that day. But every day isn’t like that one. Every other day usually begins with being slow…

I am a strong advocate of forgiveness. Without it, we strike out with vengeance when we’ve been hurt, whether it was intentional or not. We take revenge into our own hands. We become bitter, hateful, critical, and spiteful. Choosing to hold on to perceived offenses against us creates an unhealthy…

“Oh my gosh! The presentation was amazing. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your partner.” It was my first presentation about my experience with Parkinson’s, and it flowed smoothly. It had been a long time since I was in front of an audience, reaching out and connecting. Time…

Christmas hung in the air, smelling faintly of cheese platters and wine. Dad and I had decided to attend a Rock Steady Boxing Christmas party. On the way over, he joked that it would “be a quick Christmas party because everyone’s drugs [would] wear off in a…