When I was a kid, the world was divided into the haves and the have-nots. The haves never wanted for anything, while the have-nots had to find a way to navigate their lives without the appropriate resources to do so. I fell into the have-nots. And anytime I struggled 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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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…
Drooling is embarrassing. I’ve caught myself spacing out with a trickle of saliva slipping out of my lips before. I can’t help but peer around the room to see if anyone noticed. I know I’m not the only one who has experienced this. My dad recently explained to me that…
“Wow, look at that walk,” my older sister says with a smile. Dad is making his way across the living room in preparation for his birthday party. His steps are fluid and unbroken. It’s a sight that we savor. I love to see my dad unencumbered by his…
Parkinson’s is an impactful disease that comes with a lot of challenges. As such, it probably isn’t a surprise to most that many Parkinson’s patients struggle with mental health at some point. In fact, up to 40% of Parkinson’s patients experience anxiety, according to the National Council on…
Living with a chronic illness that isn’t visible to others can be lonely. Friends and loved ones might not understand why you make certain choices, which forces you to justify your actions. If you skip a social outing, you might experience resistance from those who don’t understand your plight.
Many of us experience a natural urge to relate to others to create a greater understanding of our existence. Human connection is widely seen as a vital contributing factor to health and well-being. But its importance is often overlooked or undermined, which contributes to a high incidence of loneliness…
Everywhere you look, it seems, ads and notifications holler about remedies to ailments that people suffer from in the United States. Flip on the television, and it won’t be long before an ad about some medication will invade your consciousness. “If you have [insert disease], talk to your doctors about…
I’ve heard many stories about Parkinson’s disease changing relationships. Some community members observe personality changes that make their partner feel like a stranger again. Others notice inconsistencies in their loved one’s behavior, such as mood swings and ambivalence. Sometimes the affected relationship survives the changes. Other times, it…
When Diana Dunetz’s husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, she didn’t know what to think. First, there was denial. How could something like this happen to her husband? Then there was apathy, and after that, loneliness, which came unannounced and was brutal in its ferocity. “I found…
When the clock struck midnight on March 13, Dad turned into a pumpkin, sprouting vines for ears and orange skin as a protective barrier from the world. That day completed his seventh full decade on the planet, and I imagine it gave him insight into the number of days he’s…
I’ve always been an analytical person. For as long as I can remember, I’ve catalogued data about my life, creating charts that visually represent how I’m performing at work or whether I’m achieving my fitness goals. I believe this type of information will equip me to better handle the future.
When the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, many of us brace for the new year. We want to start fresh, perhaps cultivating better eating and exercise habits. But according to Discover Happy Habits, 36% of people give up on their resolutions after just one month, returning…
Several years ago, my dad decided he was ready for deep brain stimulation (DBS), a procedure that would implant electrodes into his brain to target common Parkinson’s symptoms like tremors and dyskinesia (involuntary, erratic, writhing movements). I’ve written about the massive impact that the procedure has…
Every year, the holidays sneak up on me, and I’m left scrambling for the perfect Christmas gifts. My dad, who has Parkinson’s disease, is particularly tough to shop for, so I’ve taken to looking for Parkinson’s-friendly gifts over the past few years. One year, I set up a…
When my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, I didn’t expect the disease to transform my worldview. But it did. Learning about the disease instilled a sense of fear and sadness in me. At first, I saw only the horror that Parkinson’s creates. How could a…
I once attended a neurology appointment with my dad, who has Parkinson’s disease. His doctor asked him what dosage of levodopa he’d been taking, and after he responded, she scolded him for not following her directions. I soon discovered that Dad had been taking less levodopa than he’d…
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