Slow is the New Fast - a Column by Jean Mellano

Slow is the New Fast

When New Yorker Jean Mellano’s life partner, Steve, passed away in March 2015, she took solace in writing about him and found purpose in bringing more awareness to mental health by telling Steve’s story. At age 62, seven months after Steve died, Jean was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Several neurologists have told her the emotional trauma she suffered before and after Steve passed might have triggered the onset of her Parkinson’s. Jean hopes to be a voice for people afflicted with this disease. She also wants to help others understand the daily struggles of people with Parkinson’s.

Heel, Toe: Walking with Mindfulness

“Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.” — Sharon Salzberg The ability to walk is something many of us, myself included, have always taken for granted. Now that I have Parkinson’s disease (PD), something that used to come as a matter of…

The Day Parkinson’s Disease Left the Room

“… [T]he power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment: You create a good future by creating a good present.” –Eckhart Tolle Rock Steady Boxing is not just about boxing, sweating, moving, and exercise. More than once, the classes have allowed me to…

Reflections on My First Year of Rock Steady Boxing

Twice a week for over a year, I have been religiously taking Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) classes for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Has RSB helped my PD? I believe that my PD symptoms would be worse or my disease would have progressed more quickly had I not taken these…

My DaTscan Results Made My PD Diagnosis ‘Real’

When I was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in 2015, I asked the neurologist if there was a definitive test to confirm a PD diagnosis. I mentioned a DaTscan, but he said the test is not entirely conclusive. He also indicated that DaTscan results likely would not…