Living My Best Life - a Column by Christine Scheer

I’m training for a 5K race in June. The training plan is taped onto the fridge door, and I’m following it to a T. Except for the part where it says “run” — that’s where I alternate walking and running for one minute each. This method makes a 5K totally…

On Monday nights, I am always busy on my computer — often working on this column and sending out reminder emails to my Tuesday walking group. I started this group about three years ago, a couple years after I’d had deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. These emails…

I had deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson’s disease in August 2021. I felt it was the best choice for me at that stage of the disease. My tremors were barely controlled by round-the-clock frequent doses of levodopa, and I was exhausted. Parkinson’s News Today describes…

Many years ago, I wrote a food column for our local newspaper. I called it “Cooking with the Seasons” and told people how to grow and cook with food from their gardens. One year, my husband, John, said, “We should try tapping a few maple trees and making our own…

A few years ago, my husband, John, and I purchased a teardrop trailer. It really is cute. The back opens into an outdoor kitchen; inside, there’s a double bed, a chest of drawers, some great under-the-bed storage, and a teeny-tiny bathroom. It is the perfect trailer for minimalists. We had…

Grief has a way of slipping in when you least expect it. Generally, I am a cheerful person, but lately I’ve felt a bit … sad? Apathetic? Angry? The correct answer is all of the above. Is it because I have Parkinson’s disease? Or was it triggered by the…

During the time in my life when I was busy and always rushing around, with no idea what Parkinson’s disease even was, my husband, John, and I “peaked” on pets: 12 chickens, five cats, two sheep, and two dogs. When I got home from work, I’d rush over to…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with marijuana. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I am part of a Parkinson’s walking group that meets every Tuesday. We walk for 30 minutes, then sit down for…

A couple of years ago, one of the Parkinson’s organizations asked: “What good things have happened to you because of your Parkinson’s diagnosis?” I found this question really interesting, because I think most of us with this disease think that if anything good happens to us, it’s despite our…

Do you ever feel like screaming? On the inside, I scream fairly often. Usually, the theme is “You don’t understand!” and it’s in conjunction with some incident where it’s very clear that 1) the person doesn’t know me at all, and 2) all they can see is a shaky, slow,…