This year, I’m rethinking what it means to have a fresh start
Happy 2025 to all! Wishing all of you a happy and healthy year ahead. The time has come for the oft-dreaded New Year’s resolutions. The idea is to reflect on the past year and…
The Bright Side — Jamie Askari
Jamie E. Askari is from Cleveland, Ohio, and serves as the managing director of Premier Health Advocates, LLC, a small medical advocacy organization. Her husband Arman was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2009, at age 38. Jamie and Arman have three grown children: Lexy, who is an attorney; Mandy, who is a dietitian; and Jake, who is an undergraduate student studying finance. She has named her column “The Bright Side” (actually, her husband named it!) because of their positive attitude regarding Parkinson’s and all other things in their life.
Featured Post
Let’s celebrate the family caregivers in our lives
It’s been such a warm fall season here in Ohio that it’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. Not only do we celebrate Thanksgiving in November, but it’s also National Family Caregivers…
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How others (and I) can best respond to a difficult diagnosis
For over 15 years now, I’ve been on the receiving end of all sorts of reactions when it comes to my husband and his early-onset Parkinson’s disease. Strangers are typically caught by surprise…
It takes a village to support Parkinson’s patients and caregivers
I’m a proud great-auntie to three amazing little ones. My youngest great-nephew was born last summer, just a day after my mom’s birthday. He’s the first child of the next generation of our family…
Playing games can have many benefits for people with Parkinson’s
“I accuse Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with a revolver.” Wait, does anyone have a conservatory in their home, and if so, what is it? Is colonel pronounced “col-o-nel” or with the letter “r”?…
Preparing for emergencies with a husband who has Parkinson’s
I’m the ultimate planner — just ask my family. Knowing the next life steps for my husband, my children, and myself offers me a sense of peace and calm. Because of that, I’m constantly…
Early-onset Parkinson’s taught our family to embrace being different
Recently, for a column I was writing, I was looking for a good definition of Parkinson’s disease. I’m always amazed that much of the information out there about Parkinson’s disease doesn’t apply to…
Lessons from a mama bird about giving care to loved ones
I’ve always heard that mourning doves symbolize peace, hope, renewal, and love. While I’m unsure if this old wives’ tale is accurate, I can be sure that the nest of mourning doves on my…
How I’m finding my voice and using it to help others
As a young girl growing up in the 1970s, reading was my favorite pastime. We had no cellphones, internet, or Snapchat then, and only three TV channels via a rabbit-ear antenna. So I read…
Being brave is an unexpected requirement of Parkinson’s
I remember when my kids were small and I’d hear the patter of tiny feet running toward my bedside, usually at 3 a.m. I knew the reason would be one of two things: the…
How our family seeks to make life ‘PD-friendly’
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the short phrase “PD-friendly” (PD being Parkinson’s disease). I wonder if others use this phrase. Or did I just make it up myself? At any rate,…
How a difficult diagnosis strengthened our family bonds
When my husband, Arman, was diagnosed in 2009 with early-onset Parkinson’s disease at the age of 38, it felt nearly impossible to find anything positive about our situation. At the time, we…
