With Mother’s Day fast approaching, it makes sense that I’ve been thinking about my mom a lot. She passed away from pancreatic cancer more than 30 years ago, when I was just 17. Even though that was long before I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she taught me many…
In my last column, I mentioned that about a year after my diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s disease, I needed back surgery for a ruptured disc and a herniated disc in my lower spine. It was a harrowing experience, but I learned some important lessons. I’ve had lower back pain…
It can be hard not to catastrophize everything that happens to you when you have an underlying chronic disease like Parkinson’s. Indeed, Parkinson’s can cause myriad symptoms. Stiffness and joint pain, gait problems, slurred speech, difficulty typing or using touch-screen technology — this disease is insidious and can…
Believe it or not, I never knew until recently that Parkinson’s disease had an awareness month. But I assure you that in the nearly 12 years since my diagnosis, I am aware of Parkinson’s in April — and every other month! Parkinson’s Awareness Month starts tomorrow, while…
I’m not the only person in my family to have experienced Parkinson’s disease. About 25 years ago, my maternal grandfather was diagnosed with it. His was a more typical diagnosis, coming in his 70s, unlike my diagnosis, which came in my 30s. I don’t remember many of…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with deep brain stimulation surgery. Not everyone will have the same response to the procedure. Consult your doctor before considering any particular therapy or treatment. Last in a series. Read parts one, two, and three. In part three of…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with deep brain stimulation surgery. Not everyone will have the same response to the procedure. Consult your doctor before considering any particular therapy or treatment. Third in a series. Read parts one and two. In part two of this series,…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with deep brain stimulation surgery. Not everyone will have the same response to the procedure. Consult your doctor before considering any particular therapy or treatment. Second in a series. Read part one. In last week’s column, I left off at the…
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with deep brain stimulation surgery. Not everyone will have the same response to the procedure. Consult your doctor before considering any particular therapy or treatment. First in a series. You know how people say “It’s not like it’s brain surgery” about something…
One common but frustrating symptom of Parkinson’s disease is what’s known as “off periods.” These happen when medication, such as Sinemet (carbidopa and levodopa), wear off — sometimes suddenly — and other Parkinson’s symptoms that had been under control show up again or get worse. During off periods, you…
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