Shaking Things Up
— Mary Beth Skylis

The morning is crisp and the ground is frozen by the brutal Michigan winter temperatures. I pile my belongings into the back of my Subaru as I prepare to say my goodbyes, again. In 2020, I spent…

“What?” I ask from across the room, closing the distance between my dad and me. I don’t want to ask him to repeat himself again. “Can you grab me a glass of water and my pills?” Dad raises his…

Every once in a while, the urge to crochet washes over me. It usually happens when the temperatures start to dip into the 30s when Christmas is just around the corner. During a recent…

A few nights ago, Dad and I were watching an episode of “Star Trek” when he decided it was time for a bowl of ice cream. He doesn’t like to…

I recently zigzagged across the country, preparing to make my new home on the Eastern Seaboard for the winter. While my dad, Jim, observed my journey from afar, he sent me a message saying, “Maybe while you’re…

The Parkinson’s News Today Forums are designed to create a safe environment for those impacted by the disease. Whether we are discussing our lifestyles or looking for ways to connect, technology offers new platforms to help us explore…

Living with Parkinson’s disease is a daily battle. It can be difficult to navigate the disease on your own, but the right resources can make staying informed a little easier. Since many Parkinson’s patients experience tremors on a regular…

Some parts of the world are only beginning to understand Parkinson’s disease. Often, the general public misidentifies symptoms of the disease, complicating an early diagnosis. While researchers are still attempting to understand the causes of Parkinson’s disease, the symptomatology…

It’s April, and we’re halfway through Parkinson’s Awareness Month, an effort designed to focus on education about the disease. There are still regions of the world where Parkinson’s isn’t yet understood. And there aren’t words to describe the…

If you’re in the same boat as my dad, chances are that your gym is on lockdown. Dad was disappointed to hear that Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) is pausing operations during the global coronavirus pandemic. But he also…

My dad was a firm believer in his flip phone and knew it would survive if he dropped it from a considerable height. He counted on it to connect him with his real estate clients and get…

As a Colorado resident, I often wonder about the healing power of plants. We live in a time when the pharmaceutical industry is booming. Pills exist to tame nearly any symptom, but they often can have unwanted side effects.

I’m notorious for attempting to convince everyone in my life to get a dog. I love the furry animals, but I often travel or am in places that aren’t particularly dog-friendly. So my latest mission is to…

Christmas hung in the air, smelling faintly of cheese platters and wine. Dad and I had decided to attend a Rock Steady Boxing Christmas party. On the way over, he joked that it would “be a…

My sister, Dad, and I waited in the doctor’s office before Christmas for his deep brain stimulation (DBS) appointment. Dad underwent DBS last fall, and it’s time for a “tuneup,” as he likes to call them. I imagine…

Dad used to tell us that he has two sets of clothes: a normal set and a set of “skinny clothes” that emerge when he gets sick. Dad was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in his 30s, and the illness…