“When the bones are good, the rest don’t matter/ Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter/ Let it rain ’cause you and I remain the same.” — Maren Morris, “The Bones” I just love this song! Whenever it comes on the radio in my car, I…
The Bright Side — Jamie Askari
Jamie 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 early-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2009, at age 38. Jamie and Arman have three grown children. She has named her column “The Bright Side” (actually, her husband named it!) because of their positive attitude regarding Parkinson’s and all aspects of their lives.
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When a diagnosis is made, life goes on. You walk out of your doctor’s office in a fog, wondering if this is a nightmare you’re about to wake up from. You slowly wander into the crowded elevator and can barely muster the strength to push the buttons. You somehow manage…
“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy dying.” This famous quote is from one of the all-time greatest movies, “The Shawshank Redemption.” Andy (the main character, played by Tim Robbins) lives by this mantra to keep him going after…
I’m always in awe when I think about how my husband, Arman, has handled his diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s disease. He was young at the time, just starting his independent medical career after years of supervised training. Arman’s post-undergraduate path included four years of medical school, three years as…
It started with a dry throat, which isn’t unusual for us in winter. After a lifetime of living in chilly Cleveland, we’re used to the dryness from forced-air heat. But the minute my husband, Arman, and I both woke up to this dry throat, we immediately tested ourselves for…
While I have talked a lot in my columns about staying positive and looking for the good in all situations, I want to reflect on this. When you live with a loved one who has Parkinson’s disease (PD), there is never a break from the illness, for the patient,…
When our first daughter, Alexa (whom we call Lexy), was born in 1996, we were in our mid-20s. My husband, Arman, and I were obsessive first-time parents, documenting in detail her feedings, diaper contents, and sleep (or lack thereof) schedule. All visitors were required to scrub their hands before entering…
Our family loves musical theater. My husband, Arman, and I used to go to the theater often before we had children, and we were thrilled when our kids also took an interest. Our daughters, Lexy and Mandy, were involved in local community theater productions from a young age. As a…
We vividly remember very few days in our lives, and the rest of our memories tend to blur together. I’m always amazed at how accurately I remember specific events from childhood, like witnessing my neighbor’s house burn to the ground when I was around 7 years old; I can still…
What is the best way to let your family, friends, and colleagues know that you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD)? Or any disease for that matter? When is the appropriate time? Should you wait until they start worrying about the changes they see and assume the worst?…
Sometimes I treat my husband, Arman, like a child. Actually, more like a baby. It’s not because this is my nature; quite the opposite. Although I did baby our youngest child, Jake, a bit (of course), it was only because I just loved holding on to the feeling of being…
As my husband, Arman, our son, Jake, and I arrived at our local hardware store one day many years ago, I never could’ve imagined it’d still be a vivid memory for Jake, who was 6 and is now 19. We were likely looking for tools for a fun project he’d…
When I was a college student, my eyes were opened to the world of Parkinson’s disease when our beloved Michael J. Fox was diagnosed in 1991. At only 29 years old, he was barely even an adult and in the heart of a lucrative acting career. He…
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