Shaking Things Up - a Column by Mary Beth Skylis

Everywhere you look, it seems, ads and notifications holler about remedies to ailments that people suffer from in the United States. Flip on the television, and it won’t be long before an ad about some medication will invade your consciousness. “If you have [insert disease], talk to your doctors about…

I’ve heard many stories about Parkinson’s disease changing relationships. Some community members observe personality changes that make their partner feel like a stranger again. Others notice inconsistencies in their loved one’s behavior, such as mood swings and ambivalence. Sometimes the affected relationship survives the changes. Other times, it…

When Diana Dunetz’s husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, she didn’t know what to think. First, there was denial. How could something like this happen to her husband? Then there was apathy, and after that, loneliness, which came unannounced and was brutal in its ferocity. “I found…

When the clock struck midnight on March 13, Dad turned into a pumpkin, sprouting vines for ears and orange skin as a protective barrier from the world. That day completed his seventh full decade on the planet, and I imagine it gave him insight into the number of days he’s…

I’ve always been an analytical person. For as long as I can remember, I’ve catalogued data about my life, creating charts that visually represent how I’m performing at work or whether I’m achieving my fitness goals. I believe this type of information will equip me to better handle the future.

When the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, many of us brace for the new year. We want to start fresh, perhaps cultivating better eating and exercise habits. But according to Discover Happy Habits, 36% of people give up on their resolutions after just one month, returning…

Several years ago, my dad decided he was ready for deep brain stimulation (DBS), a procedure that would implant electrodes into his brain to target common Parkinson’s symptoms like tremors and dyskinesia (involuntary, erratic, writhing movements). I’ve written about the massive impact that the procedure has…

Every year, the holidays sneak up on me, and I’m left scrambling for the perfect Christmas gifts. My dad, who has Parkinson’s disease, is particularly tough to shop for, so I’ve taken to looking for Parkinson’s-friendly gifts over the past few years. One year, I set up a…

When my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, I didn’t expect the disease to transform my worldview. But it did. Learning about the disease instilled a sense of fear and sadness in me. At first, I saw only the horror that Parkinson’s creates. How could a…

I once attended a neurology appointment with my dad, who has Parkinson’s disease. His doctor asked him what dosage of levodopa he’d been taking, and after he responded, she scolded him for not following her directions. I soon discovered that Dad had been taking less levodopa than he’d…