I lie in bed at night, my left hand under my head. In this position, I can hear the ticking of my watch. Each beat reminds me that another moment no longer exists. I am one second farther from yesterday and one second closer to tomorrow. About two years ago,…
Journeying Through Parkinson’s Disease
— Sherri Woodbridge
Sherri was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease over 15 years ago. She can be found working in her garden, going for walks, taking pictures, or reading books to her three favorite grandkids. Sherri is taking life somewhat slower, and perhaps with guarded steps, but she’s not giving in.
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How do I start this? What do I say? A few years after I was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease, I went to my movement disorder specialist for my routine, three-month checkup. We chatted for a while and then he brought up the subject of work. How…
Sherri Woodbridge -- Journeying Through Parkinson's Disease
While at my boxing class the other evening, one of my classmates told me about a watch he is testing. It is called the Personal KinetiGraph (PKG)-Watch. This device is not to be confused with the Emma Watch, which was designed by a Microsoft inventor for Emma…
If you’re anything like me, there’s something energizing about gardening and pulling weeds. About pruning back overgrowth and watering budding seedlings, even if, because of having Parkinson’s, you can do it only a fraction of the time you used to be able to keep at it. In those…
I have a bad habit of assuming things. You would think (an assumption) that I would have learned by now, but no. Take today for example. My husband and I were at the mall this afternoon people-watching in front of the coffee shop. I watched through…
When I think of a warrior, I think of Mel Gibson and the role he played in the movie “Braveheart.” Gibson played the main character, Sir William Wallace, a Scottish knight. He was a warrior for his homeland Scotland, fighting for freedom against the English. Although…
You’ve probably read articles with titles like, “10 Things Not to Say to a Person with Parkinson’s.” These typically include statements like, “But you don’t look sick,” or perhaps, “My Uncle Nero had that, and his arms fell off.” You’ve heard the possible and the far-fetched, the comments…
Jean Mellano, a fellow contributor at Parkinson’s News Today, recently wrote a column about how this disease keeps taking bits and pieces of us — our abilities, our control of self — and leaves less and less of us day by day. In a reply to a…
I’ve rarely had the thought, “Why me?” Does this mean that I’ve signed my life over to Parkinson’s disease? Is it a sign that I’ve given up? Last week at my boxing class, I was punching a bag when I heard laughter coming from the…
You ever try to go back to the way things used to be? Try to think the way you used to think when distractions didn’t compete for your attention? When you had some semblance of “normality”? Things seemed somewhat organized or orderly and most things made…
Everything’s not all right or OK. Like it or not, we have a chronic disease that won’t go away. Our days are consumed with uncontrollable thoughts; they ravage our minds, threaten our souls, and grasp for our spirits. Will we ever be “us” again — those beings who…
We didn’t stand in a long line, waiting our turn to collect the perfect life. Nor did we have a choice as to what kind of life we would be handed. We were just given a box, wrapped in paper with “Surprise” written on it. When we opened…
Warning: The names of those involved have been excluded to protect the embarrassed. The air could sure use some cleaning out. I try to eat more fiber, but when I eat more fiber, my husband finds the air needs a good cleaning. So, I asked my doctor what…
If you’re like me, you can’t wait for the weather to warm up so you can go outside in your garden. You may be new to getting your hands in the dirt or an old hand at gardening. No matter what category you fit into, safety is always…
I started the exercise program Rock Steady Boxing about four months ago. If you’re like me, you’ve dragged your feet and refused to go for any number of reasons or excuses. Maybe there isn’t a class near you. Or, you feel too tired to go and don’t think you’ll…
I love photography, both taking and looking at pictures. I love how it causes me to see the world with a grander view. Things become more intricate, more detailed, more colorful — so much more of everything comes into focus. However, I started to panic. My “panic…
I went to the dermatologist yesterday for a skin check. Those of us who have Parkinson’s disease (PD) should make a habit of getting a yearly check because our condition increases the odds of getting skin cancer. The Mayo Clinic reported that patients with Parkinson’s “were roughly…
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