What the perpetual hunt for a Parkinson’s ‘cure’ looks like
“How could I be so stupid?” I was berating myself for buying a ridiculous book that promised to cure Parkinson’s disease. The book was one of the first purchases I made in a…
Living My Best Life — Christine Scheer
Christine Scheer was diagnosed in 2015, at the age of 54, with Parkinson’s disease. She is a retired chef who lives on a farm with her husband, John, in London, Ontario, Canada. She firmly believes in the power of exercise to slow down the progression of Parkinson’s. Her hope for her column, “Living My Best Life,” is that she can get conversations started and raise awareness by engaging those in the PD community and beyond.
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Is it normal aging or symptoms of Parkinson’s?
Getting older isn’t for sissies, my mom always said. She also said “Merry Christmas” to me in July one year and noted how everyone in her care home had gray hair (she had been…
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Our walking and talking group is a great support with Parkinson’s
Every Tuesday afternoon you can see us. We might be outside at the park or, if there’s inclement weather, inside at the mall. Sometimes there are only two of us; other times, there are…
Manicures, DBS, and driving: My modern life with Parkinson’s
Many losses are associated with Parkinson’s disease, some more impactful than others. So far, because of deep brain stimulation (DBS), which I had in 2021, I’ve had more gains than losses in…
How Parkinson’s disease almost killed our cat
My husband, John, and I got our cat Rosie from the animal shelter many years ago. She was a muted calico, the smallest and prettiest of all our indoor cats. What a sweetie she…
What to keep in mind if you’re considering deep brain stimulation
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with deep brain stimulation. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. When I was…
Telling others about my Parkinson’s diagnosis isn’t always easy
When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015, I was alone. I had an appointment with the neurologist, and I never even considered bringing somebody. My husband, John, was working as a…
How I handle the low blood pressure that accompanies my Parkinson’s
My husband, John, was leaning over me and saying, “What happened?” I looked up at him and said, “Why?” What I was trying to say is, “Why did you wake me up?” But I…
Stopping to smell the roses with Parkinson’s disease
Since my diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2015, my sense of smell has been nonexistent. Overall, I have to say the loss hasn’t bothered me too much, especially when compared with other…
When Parkinson’s gives you superpowers you don’t really want
When my daughters were young, I used to joke that my superpower was the ability to worry. Now that they’ve grown into capable young adults, I don’t worry quite as much. Plus, what’s left…
Staying positive with Parkinson’s is hard work, but it’s worth the effort
It’s hard work being an optimist when you have a disease that is progressive, neurodegenerative, and — wait for it — incurable. So what do I do? I work hard at it! The work…
Managing speech issues with Parkinson’s — one day at a time
Before I knew I had Parkinson’s disease, or even what it was, my family lost their collective mind. They insisted I was whispering and they couldn’t hear what I was saying. I still…
From pain to joy: I’m living my best life with Parkinson’s
Twenty years ago, I developed frozen shoulders. Yes, plural. Over the course of a year, both of my shoulders locked up, causing me to gasp in pain when doing the simplest tasks —…
