When we’re born into this world, it takes us about seven months to sit up for the first time. It takes about a year to learn how to walk. The learning process is long and difficult, and riddled with unsuccessful attempts and blunders along the way. The act of walking…
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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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…
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 nearly three months here, the most time I had been at…
“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 voice, and this time I hear him. I fill a mug…
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 visit home, the desire to make something with my hands emerged…
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 take his medications in the evening because the side effects affect…
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 wandering around the country, you should wander home.”…
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 our uncertainty. Caregivers, physicians, and patients alike have the opportunity to…
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 basis, audiobooks and podcasts may be helpful in lieu of books…
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 of it has improved in accuracy since James Parkinson originally identified…
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 disease in some distant corners of the Earth, which makes facing…
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 recognized that it’s the safest move. This global quarantine is really…
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 the job done. After his diagnosis of Parkinson’s…
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. The side effects of plants, however, may be less harsh, or…
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 convince my dad to get a dog. Could…
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 quick Christmas party because everyone’s drugs [would] wear off in 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 his doctor with a wrench in her hand, manipulating Dad’s brain…
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