Shaking Things Up - a Column by Mary Beth Skylis

Snow is falling from the sky in tufts here in the Colorado mountains as I write this. Christmas is on my brain. It’s the time of year when my sister and I book flights back to Michigan and brainstorm ways to make the season memorable. For me, doing that means…

After my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, one of the most frightening parts for me was learning about the later stages of the disease. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease, and it’s hard to think about how the symptoms will worsen over time. Of course,…

 “Let’s play a game,” my sister, Anne Marie, suggested one balmy summer evening. Our entire family had congregated in Northern Michigan for a weeklong vacation, and we were looking to create some fun. Anne Marie explained the rules of the game: One player would read a question out…

I have an autoimmune disease. I’ve known about it for about as long as my dad has known about his Parkinson’s disease. And sometimes it’s striking to see how the treatment strategies vary between illnesses. Both diseases are progressive, causing worsening symptoms over time. My medication dosages…

When I was a kid, the world was divided into the haves and the have-nots. The haves never wanted for anything, while the have-nots had to find a way to navigate their lives without the appropriate resources to do so. I fell into the have-nots. And anytime I struggled to…

Drooling is embarrassing. I’ve caught myself spacing out with a trickle of saliva slipping out of my lips before. I can’t help but peer around the room to see if anyone noticed. I know I’m not the only one who has experienced this. My dad recently explained to me that…

“Wow, look at that walk,” my older sister says with a smile. Dad is making his way across the living room in preparation for his birthday party. His steps are fluid and unbroken. It’s a sight that we savor. I love to see my dad unencumbered by his…

Parkinson’s is an impactful disease that comes with a lot of challenges. As such, it probably isn’t a surprise to most that many Parkinson’s patients struggle with mental health at some point. In fact, up to 40% of Parkinson’s patients experience anxiety, according to the National Council on…

Living with a chronic illness that isn’t visible to others can be lonely. Friends and loved ones might not understand why you make certain choices, which forces you to justify your actions. If you skip a social outing, you might experience resistance from those who don’t understand your plight.

Many of us experience a natural urge to relate to others to create a greater understanding of our existence. Human connection is widely seen as a vital contributing factor to health and well-being. But its importance is often overlooked or undermined, which contributes to a high incidence of loneliness…