Life, Lemons, and Lemonade – a Column by Lori DePorter

This New Year’s Eve was, well, different. Our tuxedo, gown, and sparkly shoes were replaced by shorts, T-shirts, comfy pajamas, and slippers. My husband, Mike, and I didn’t have a plan, but ultimately, we spent New Year’s Eve creating our own date night. We cooked dinner, made a fire, played…

While many holiday traditions were on hold at the end of last year, one tradition remained in our house: the annual Santa Letter. It started over 20 years ago, when our boys were young. Every year, they would find a letter carefully hidden in the Christmas tree, and then…

I never realized the benefits of music until I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Early in my diagnosis, I met Alexander Pantelyat, MD, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine, who introduced me to both music and dance. Together with boxing and other exercises,…

Growing up, I had always wanted to be a teacher. However, when applying to colleges, I was encouraged to try engineering. My dad had always wanted one of his kids to be an engineer. I was the youngest and his last chance. So, I decided…

As a parent with young-onset Parkinson’s disease, I’ve been adjusting and adapting to the bumps and detours of my life. One of those adjustments has been our expectations for family events, from milestone events to everyday activities. With young-onset Parkinson’s, we hope our health doesn’t rob us or our family…

For Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, I would like to share how Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s have given a daughter and a father a special bond. My dad has Alzheimer’s and I have young-onset Parkinson’s. My mom, or as I call her, Wonder Woman, calls me “the dad whisperer.” But I see…

For our family and friends in the Parkinson’s community, spring and summer usually mean golf tournaments and 5K races, while fall and winter bring indoor dances and casino nights. But this year, those in the Parkinson’s community can’t come together for annual events because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We already…

A friend of mine sent me an article about a self-funded clinical trial using stem cells to treat a patient named George Lopez, who has Parkinson’s. I was intrigued. For many, myself included, the term “stem cells” meant only embryonic stem cells and evoked controversy. I had numerous questions,…

I met my friend Kathy when she came to our exercise class more than two years ago. She has Parkinson’s, too. Over the past year, we have developed a “big sister, little sister” relationship. Exercising is part of our time together, but we do so much more, including cooking, shopping,…

Sometimes you’re living life to the fullest and forgetting Parkinson’s while doing something you never expected. Recently, for me, it was fishing — something outside my comfort zone. Fishing — really? My first adventure was last summer with friends who wanted to share their love of fishing. It was a…