Columns

When people with Parkinson’s disease are asked: Are you scared of your future with PD? They say they fear: Losing their driver’s licenses. Losing their independence. Having to depend on others. Facing the unknowns and what-ifs. Having to ask for help. Knowing what their family/caregiver(s) will have to…

There often are studies done relating to Parkinson’s disease. There is research being conducted, in hopes of making life a little easier for people with Parkinson’s or ultimately finding a cure. But as much as we are led to believe a cure is on its way, so often…

I’ve always wanted to take a dance class. Ballroom dancing, country dancing, the tango ― whatever. I’m certain you’d agree that dance is good exercise for most everyone. Not that we all like it or are inclined to try it, but for the PD…

We all are surrounded by people who mean well, people who don’t mean to come across as ignorant, but who are, nonetheless, ignorant. Especially when they are representing health agencies. There is a European agency that runs similarly to the Social Security Administration and assesses individuals needing…

Some people keep journals, some keep diaries, some record life’s events on their calendars. I have done all three. I kept a diary as a young girl, and then moved onto journals (although I tend to think they are more one in the same). I keep a…

Many people refuse to talk about it. Fewer want to admit they struggle with it. Many are embarrassed by it. All would choose to live without it. It’s the “D” word: Depression. On my first visit to see my neurologist several years ago, much to my surprise, I…

It wasn’t irreverent. At least, I didn’t think so. He was just a middle-aged dad who appeared to be confined to a wheelchair. He was coming down the aisle of the church at a faster than “normal” speed for a Sunday morning worship service, and it was…

People from all walks of life are being encouraged to join a support group. You know, like a support group for recently divorced couples, those with an alcohol addiction, or people who have chocolate meltdowns, anger management issues, depression, illnesses, an addiction to chocolate chip milkshakes, and…

Mirapex (pramipexole), a common treatment for Parkinson’s disease, is believed to work by boosting the action of whatever dopamine is available, which is low in people with Parkinson’s. It is a dopamine agonist that directly stimulates nerves in the brain that are not naturally being stimulated by…

My first few years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s were crazy — trying to get the timing of the drugs right, the dosages, the amounts, dealing with side effects. Looking back, I think one of the most frustrating aspects of the drugs was how sleepy they made…