A few weeks ago, a friend of mine took a serious fall while riding a Onewheel around an obstacle course. While lying on the ground, he felt a head-splitting pain. An MRI showed that he had torn his rotator cuff and needed surgery. Before long, I was ushering him to…
Shaking Things Up
— Mary Beth Skylis
Mary Beth Skylis (she/her) lives in Colorado, where she works as a full-time freelance writer. As a columnist for Backpacker Magazine and Women’s Health, she spends most of her time learning about the latest developments in the outdoor and health industries. When her dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, she began conducting research and looking for ways to share her journey. Joining Bionews was the result. Now she works as a forum moderator and continues to share monthly musings about life with Parkinson’s disease.
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Some of my earliest memories of my dad depict him like a superhero — the guy who would work all day before coming home and tossing his kids over his shoulder. He had a vitality that practically swirled with enthusiasm. After work, he could be found at the latest theater…
Home is where most people go to relax, revive themselves, and prepare for the upcoming challenges of life. When it comes to creating a comfortable and supportive home for someone with Parkinson’s disease, the challenges are more nuanced. Suddenly, home not only needs to be a place of restoration,…
Several years ago, I wrote a column that described the sense of presence that Parkinson’s disease brought to our lives after my dad’s diagnosis in 2013. After the whirlwind of the diagnosis and navigating the logistics of what it meant for my dad to have the condition, we began…
A younger version of my dad lived for spontaneity. In his late teens and early 20s, he hitchhiked around the country in the spirit of adventure. One of his most significant early journeys took him from his home state of Michigan to Alaska, where he found work in a local…
When many people picture Parkinson’s disease, they envision the tremors. Their hearts sink, and they get quiet, perhaps thinking of a distant relative or friend who had the condition. Before my dad’s diagnosis in 2013, I fell into this category, picturing a man we knew from church who stooped…
Levodopa was first used in clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease in 1961, and it eventually became the gold standard for treatment. Today, it’s still the most common medication available for managing symptoms like tremors and stiffness. But “off” periods — when the medication wears off —…
Before my dad’s Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2013, my understanding of the disease was limited. I knew someone from church who had it, mainly because their tremors made it extremely visible. But I knew little about the disease’s nuances, such as who is most likely to be diagnosed with it, how…
There’s a moment that many Parkinson’s families encounter at some point. Maybe they’re on the road with a loved one with Parkinson’s who is driving, and they notice slight swerving over the center lane, as I did a few years ago with my dad. Or maybe the moment happens…
Connecticut-based Steve Yellen was a weekend athlete before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease seven years ago. He first noticed a tremor in his left hand. Then he saw a neurologist, who confirmed the diagnosis. Instead of succumbing to apathy, Yellen decided to do everything in his power…
Women’s History Month, celebrated each March, originated in 1978 when an educational task force in Santa Rosa, California, set out to highlight women’s contributions to society. This month also serves as a time for reflection on persistent issues such as the exclusion of women from textbooks and research. Historically,…
A few years ago, I accompanied my dad, who has Parkinson’s disease, to a neurology appointment to observe how his doctor interacted with him and assessed whether his deep brain stimulation hardware needed adjustment. The doctor asked if he was taking the recommended dosage of levodopa at the scheduled…
Last in a series. Read part one. In my previous column, Rachel Dolhun of the Michael J. Fox Foundation shared practical tips for managing challenges like stress and jet lag when living with Parkinson’s. This week, she offers insights on navigating specialized travel services and accommodations, and preparing for…
First in a series. Earlier in January, I wrote about Bryan Roberts, a member of the Michael J. Fox Foundation Patient Council, and the ways he manages his Parkinson’s disease while traveling. This week, I’ll share part of an email conversation I had with Rachel Dolhun, the…
Air travel is hard, even if you do it frequently. You have to navigate busy places, make it past security, and then cram yourself into an airplane like a sardine in a can — and that’s all before you ever make it to your destination. After my family traveled to…
My dad has always been my superhero. When I was a child, he was the person who would rush home with pizza, sugary drinks, and laughter to break the tension of the day. As I grew older and began navigating the complexities of high school, I knew I could pour…
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