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“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…

Sooner or later, nearly all of us make a trip to the hospital for one reason or another. Just because you are placed in the hands of a capable physician doesn’t necessarily mean you will get the best care, especially if you have Parkinson’s disease. Following are some…

“You don’t have to be positive all the time. It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared and anxious. Having feelings doesn’t make you a ‘negative person.’ It makes you human.” –Lori Deschene As many people with Parkinson’s will attest, both Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms and finding…

This morning I read a Facebook post from a person who is in the early stages of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He listed some of his symptoms and said he was awaiting lab results. He asked whether it’s common for symptoms to differ from day to day…