The Bright Side - a Column by Jamie Askari

If you’re reading this column, there’s a good chance you have some connection to Parkinson’s disease. I say this because I don’t often receive comments from readers who aren’t touched by Parkinson’s in some way. Now that we know why you might be reading this, I have some questions.

If someone says the words “Parkinson’s disease,” what’s the first thought that comes to your mind? How do you visualize this disease? I can’t help but think about how I used to visualize Parkinson’s disease. I probably learned about it at some point during my childhood, and the image…

Traveling can be so stressful that it often feels like we need a vacation after the vacation. For my husband, Arman, who has early-onset Parkinson’s disease, and me, all of the relaxation we enjoy during much-needed trips melts away as soon as we return to the airport. A…

Whenever anyone asks my husband, Arman, how he is doing, his standard reply has become, “Living the dream.” He usually gets a good laugh from this response, and they quickly move on to other topics. This has become his tagline, which seems to work well for him. Living with a…

I love doing one kind act for a stranger each day. I have done this for as long as I can remember. It was quite a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, though, since I didn’t often encounter strangers in my living room. These small acts of kindness usually take…

I never thought I’d be interested in a support group for Parkinson’s caregivers. When my husband, Arman, was diagnosed, we were both in our late 30s, and I certainly didn’t think I could relate to anyone caring for someone in my parent’s generation. I was also so busy…

I was in line behind a young mother at the grocery store last week. She was probably in her early 40s and had three beautiful children in tow. The line moved slowly, so I was stuck listening to her lengthy cellphone conversation. She was loudly discussing her problems and focusing…

One of my most vivid parenting memories involves my oldest daughter, Alexa, who’s now 27. We lived in Boston then, and I had enrolled her in a preschool program for 3-year-olds. She would be at school twice weekly from 10 a.m. until noon, which worked perfectly with her strict…

There’s a small white church near the entrance to my old neighborhood. I used to drive by it daily. Outside the church was a large sign where meaningful quotes were posted. Over the 20 years I lived in that home, I noted a few that resonated with me. “Worry is…

Until recently, my husband, Arman, and I have been very private about his Parkinson’s diagnosis and our life dealing with the disease. He was diagnosed in 2009 with early-onset Parkinson’s at age 38. Before I started writing this column, titled “The Bright Side,” only our closest friends…