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A proud, black piano stands in my parents’ living room. It’s the foundation of our home. From behind the sleek mahogany panels, fury, sadness, and happiness express themselves without judgment. My operatic brother sings his troubles away. My mom, a lifelong piano teacher, often alludes to the power of music…

I attend my boxing class twice a week. Regardless of whether she is having a good or not-so-good day, Kathy, another woman in my class, will be smiling. Not only will she be smiling, but she will be giving away words of encouragement. I often hear her thanking one…

A recent Merck product status report shows that Sinemet 25-100 is on backorder, with no current availability date. I have been on Sinemet 25-100 for almost a year now. When my pharmacy called me to say there was no more Sinemet for my refill, I was devastated. Generic carbidopa/levodopa…

I can’t believe that it’s been almost 39 years since I got married. July 4, 1980, was the day I obtained my independence. Sort of. When the pastor was preparing for our wedding ceremony with my soon-to-be husband and me, he asked if we would like to include a particular…

“Freezing” is when an individual suddenly feels like they’re glued to the ground. Parkinson’s disease patients often experience freezing during the late stages of the disease. It can occur while the person is in motion or after they’ve been stationary and then attempt to move. It’s associated with complicated…

A warrior is not a worrier. A worrier has no peace, is filled with anxiety, and frets over the smallest things. Worriers tend to be lacking in courage and a calm spirit.  Warriors exude courage. They are brave in the midst of the battle. They are fighters determined to…

“The music and movement started, I was filled with great joy. I was able to take the whole class and walked out feeling accomplished, encouraged with that passion for dance rekindled. Seeing the class participants enjoy music and movement and benefit from it was so thrilling. I saw…

Sometimes we need to be encouraged in our journey with Parkinson’s disease. We become weary and find ourselves at the edge of despair. We feel like we’ve nothing left to give and life is losing its luster. What better way to dispel the gloom than to read an inspiring book?…

There are days when it feels like we are surrounded by darkness. We live with so many unanswered questions about this illness that it can frustrate us. We often are surprised by so many twists and turns. Sometimes we forget that we must endure and do battle with the…

Last week, I attended my boxing class. Temperatures were in the high 80s, and we knew we’d be sweating profusely by the end of the session. As we prepared for class, one member who wore shorts commented to another wearing pants, “You’re going to be hot with those pants…