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Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The H in the CHRONDI Creed refers to happiness. Happiness can be an elusive thing when battling a chronic disease like Parkinson’s. So many things can get in the way of experiencing happiness: pain, deep fatigue, irritability, the…

I watched “Harry Potter” last week for the first time. Many of the characters shared wisdom with those around them. My favorite piece of wisdom in “The Chamber of Secrets” was shared by Albus Dumbledore: “It is not our abilities that show what we truly are — it is…

We have all heard of them, and many of us, in one way or another, have encountered them. Some of us (hopefully, with regret) have been one. Who am I talking about?  Bullies They intimidate us and physically hurt us. They embarrass us, taunting us with…

“C” is for compassion in my CHRONDI Creed, a warrior’s guide in the battle against Parkinson’s disease. It may seem odd to label a warrior as compassionate. Normally we picture the warrior as fierce, brave, courageous, and strong. We don’t often associate compassion with such an image. However,…

The Parkinson’s News Today Forums were created to allow those of us with this disease to lean on and learn from each other, and most importantly, laugh together. The forums also aim to help caregivers, family members, and friends to understand the daily challenges of those living…

Living with a chronic illness can create stress, anxiety, and more. This is not only true for those with an illness, but also their caregivers — perhaps even more so. It is often up to caregivers to care for themselves, along with their loved ones who can…

The challenges of any chronic disease require the mental attitude of a warrior. Like the code of the samurai, the CHRONDI Creed is both a guide for battle and for living. CHRONDI is an acronym from the first letters in the words chronic disease. The letters stand for each…

The other day, my husband told me he felt alone. Then he said he felt distanced. How could that be? We are together almost every day, 24/7. But being together and being together are very different, especially when it comes to having Parkinson’s disease. This disease has many…

I read somewhere that Parkinson’s disease robs people of who they were, who they have been, and the person others have known. It affects marriages, too. I read this on the tailcoat of writing about Parkinson’s and the role it can play in the intimacy of marriage. It’s…

Parkinson’s disease (PD) pain is unique, so finding words to describe it is difficult. Not all those with a diagnosis experience pain. But for some, like me, pain is the major, disabling symptom. It is important to find words that describe the pain experience as clearly as possible. There is no…