Garrett McAuliffe

I feel like I’m one member of the club of trying to slow down and pause and not multitask or many-task!as I look at what I have accomplished in my life and my career, I can rest assured that I did well in many areas and feel good about that meaning was clear when I was raising children and when I was a full-time professor. BUT – as my paid work…[Read more]

i just lost a whole message in which i illustrated my day of running from one task to another. The day was then filled with symptoms and dyskinesia. I taught my class while dyskinetic. It is clear that “stress,” which can simply be concentrating on a task, or rushing, or even doing exercise, triggers symptoms AND dyskinesia. The message I am…[Read more]

I keep my house warmer than I ever did, including rooms that I’m not currently using. I have room by room heaters. This would’ve been sent for during the oil prices in my 20s in the 1970s, when we all lived cold to save money and oil and all that. But with PD I feel justified and keep my house warm. Pretending it’s really summer and I’m in the outdoors.

This is Garrett. I learned that dyskinesia is also increased by stress. So if I start to get dyskinesia and am doing something active or stressful, it gets worse. I have tried to lie down or pace around the house slowly. Instead last night, instead of hiding away, I joined the company of a neighbor who had stopped by.  Dyskinesia makes me speedy…[Read more]

To all who responded to my initial post. It is inspiring and heartening to hear your words. I want to add an important discovery that I have made. My extended episodes of tremors, involuntary movements, and feeling “speedy” I think are related to engaging in a stressful task when I am feeling a return of symptoms. Even driving at that point. Ins…[Read more]

I too am working virtually full-time 10 years after I was diagnosed, which means 20 years after I Started with PD. I am a full-time professor. I can work at home a lot preparing classes and do a research. I teach also and do a lot with meetings and other things like that. I often can’t work. Stress is a significant factor. I need to do m…[Read more]

I seem to have a combination of dyskinesia and tremor of the Parkinson’s symptoms at the same time. When I’m particularly stressed or concentrating or active, my symptoms increase as does my dyskinesia sometimes. That seems to be a contradiction which seems to say that you either get symptoms or you get dyskinesia. I’m in my tank is his diagn…[Read more]

I am a person with Parkinson’s (PWP). I can attest to the value of acceptance and Commitment therapy (pronounced “ACT”).  It is a way of mindfully living in the present Within having a chronic condition or other life circumstance. It is very different from cognitive behavior therapy or CBT, which works on a much more shallow level trying to counte…[Read more]