Slow is the New Fast - a Column by Jean Mellano

Why is there no cure for PD? In my mind, there are several potential reasons there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD). The brain is an extremely complex organ and there is no known definitive cause for the disease. Each PD diagnosis is unique, patients suffer…

Editor’s note: This column discusses suicide. Pivotal events in my life have piqued my interest in Lewy bodies. The first event was on March 15, 2015, when my life partner, Steve, killed himself. The second was my diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in November 2015. My fascination with Lewy bodies…

What is my strategy? I plan to take Parkinson’s disease (PD) medications as prescribed to get me to a point where I can function well and really push hard in my exercise. Then, I hope that a combination of exercise, diet, meditation, yoga, and massage will help me…

Today began with a pity party and I had to take out the hats. Like most people with Parkinson’s (PwP), our days — even our hours and minutes — are a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. My day started extremely low, and my pity party began…

Third in a series. Read parts one and two. Complacency setting in “Complacency is a continuous struggle that we all have to fight.” –Jack Nicklaus It has been about a year since I started Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) classes. It has been a great journey filled with many…

In part two of a series, columnist Jean Mellano’s Rock Steady Boxing journey continues. Read part one. Camaraderie The camaraderie fostered by Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) is off the charts, and our coach is so encouraging and compassionate. We are all part of a team united in…

In September 2017, I started to take Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) classes. RSB has truly made a remarkable impact on improving the quality of my life. What’s it all about? The RSB classes I attend twice a week average about 10 to 16 people per class. The…

No two Parkinson’s disease patients are alike I am slowly coming to realize that each diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is unique. PD patients suffer different symptoms and different rates of disease progression. Some remedies work for some, and not for others. In many cases, those of us with PD…

Haven’t I been here before? I can’t fight this alone. Medications are now an option. Several months on a holistic route gave me no improvement in symptoms. So, I bit the bullet and decided to try another Parkinson’s prescription medication. In October 2017, I started the Neupro (rotigotine) transdermal patch.

My body does not feel right. What am I going to do about it? What has happened to me? My quality of life was deteriorating due to my neurological issues. Along with poor fine motor skills on my left side and slowness of movement, I was constantly fatigued. This…