RicH

Good for him! My right hand is my stiff one, and the exercise I like is putting my hands up at head level with my fingers extended (like a “freeze” pose), making tight fists, and then throwing them open at my sides with force.

I also stretch and touch the ceiling 10 times and then hold it for 10 seconds.

Does the stiffness go away? Naw. But it…[Read more]

I have early PD and no caregiver (yet!), but it occurred to me: would a chart similar to pain charts in ERs help? They show happy faces (no pain) down to medium faces (hurts somewhat) to crying faces (extreme pain)—but could be adjusted for attitude, I’m sure. Have him point to where he’s at in a given day, maybe?

Mary Beth, the first thing I…[Read more]

Thanks, Jo S.—those were good! I’m not sure of those without PD would appreciate these jokes, but they just show that while PD is serious business, there’s room for laughter to power us through.

OMG, yes! Without humor (and music) to get through *anything* in life, much less PD, I’d have a horrible time. One of the first things I did after I got my diagnosis was to seek that clip of Michael J. Fox on Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he “accidentally” shakes up a bottle of soda before handing it to Larry David, and Larry then is pretty sure…[Read more]

Great question, Katy—because we all struggle! I’ll pass on two things that help me.

1. Sunshine and warmth. Problem is, it seems constantly cloudy and cold lately (literally and maybe figuratively?). So on the days like that, I picture what’s beyond and above the clouds: blazing sun, blue skies, and warmth. I’ve found myself on cloudy day walks…[Read more]

I for one take great comfort in seeing PD celebrities (“PD-brities”?) out there, whether it’s MJF doing Zoom calls with the cast of Back to the Future or Neil Diamond singing and playing his guitar earlier this year or Alan Alda smiling while talking about marching around his house. I’d much rather focus on this positivity and seeing folks living…[Read more]