When My Garden Calls Me to Come
I stand outside as I water my garden, surrounded by an assortment of fragrant lilies. Dahlia, salvia, and crocosmia blooms dress green stems in vibrant colors of deep purples, iridescent blues, and bold oranges…
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.
Featured Post
Saying Goodbye to ‘Journeying Through Parkinson’s Disease’
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…
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Sherri Woodbridge -- Journeying Through Parkinson's Disease
Do You Really Want to Know What Your Future Holds?
“My dad’s neurologist is transparent and compassionate. He is thorough and truthful. If yours is not, I highly suggest finding one who is.” In the introductory sentences, the caregiver says that her dad…
When Your Disease Progresses
When you live with a chronic illness, it is sometimes so easy to fool yourself into thinking life isn’t so bad. Life isn’t so hard. You’ve got this. Then you go to a doctor’s…
Being Intentional About Living Well with Parkinson’s
I find I can make lots and lots of lists of lots and lots of goals, but rarely do they amount to anything. Some lists were New Year’s resolutions I made in February…
Sleep Problems With Parkinson’s Disease
There is a difference between dreams and daydreams. Daydreams are filled with pleasant thoughts that distract you from the present while you are awake. Dreams are thoughts and images that occur in the brain…
Shouting Above a Whisper
What is your biggest point of frustration in living with Parkinson’s disease? Mine is my inability to speak up. I have a lot of pain with this disease. I drool when I…
Staying Safe in Summer’s Sunshine
Summer is here in the U.S., bringing with it humidity and heat. So, in the midst of the stickiness, sweatiness, and eventually, the ripened smelliness, we might ask ourselves, “Should I stop drinking…
What We Wish We Had Known
There is a question circulating once again in the Parkinson’s forums and Facebook groups. “What do you wish you had known when you were first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease?” This cycle of inquiry seems…
Learning to Live Simply With Parkinson’s Disease
A sign hangs above my desk with only one word on it: “Simplify.” The sign isn’t fancy by any means. But it does make me stop to ponder what that small word means to…
No Matter Your Age, We’re in This Together
I recently read that Parkinson’s disease affects an estimated 1 in 100 people over age 60. When I started my Parkinson’s journey, I was in high school. I didn’t know that what…
Going Through the Fires of Parkinson’s … and Blooming
In the same way a wildfire can take your breath away, so can a flower. Especially if it’s standing amid charred, blackened earth. Once there stood tall majestic black oaks, madrone, manzanita, and pine…
Holding Your Thoughts Captive to Ease Anxiety
I was doing OK until I read the title of a webinar: “Navigating the New Normal.” Then it hit me — there is no normal. As they say, normal is just a setting on…
You Beat Parkinson’s by Living Your Life
Stuart Scott, ESPN’s beloved late sportscaster, once said, “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.” I say you beat Parkinson’s disease the…
Despite My Weariness, I Continue to Encourage Others
With Parkinson’s disease, sometimes it feels as if I’ve been carrying a ball and chain around for years. Those chains have the ability to pull me down into shades of darkness if I let…
The Silent Pain of Parkinson’s
It may take a while to get a diagnosis for Parkinson’s disease. You may see several neurologists, physicians, or movement disorder specialists before receiving correct results. It’s easier to diagnose Parkinson’s when a patient…
Is Journaling for You?
Ever since I can remember I have kept a journal. People use journals to record their dreams, prayers, activities, and even the weather. In the end, our journals are thrown away, burned, or lost.
