Dear readers, I have been writing my column, “The Bright Side,” for Parkinson’s News Today for almost three years. How fast that went! I’m always amazed at how the days seem to move slowly, yet the years pass quickly. When I first agreed to write the column, 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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You’re probably familiar with the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This usually refers to leaving things alone if they are working smoothly or going well. Essentially, don’t rock the boat. (Anyone remember that song?) I recently heard a conference speaker say something that sounded similar but turned…
My husband, Arman, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, was hospitalized recently after falling and breaking multiple ribs. During his weeklong stay, we often heard a lullaby playing. I was convinced that it was the cellphone ringtone of another patient on our floor. But a few days into his…
I thought I was prepared for an emergency — until I found myself in an emergency situation and realized how unprepared I actually was. When I started writing this column, I was sitting next to my husband, Arman, in his hospital room. We arrived at the hospital at about…
Was it really Parkinson’s disease? What else could these symptoms be? Could there have been some mistake? Is this just a crazy dream that I’ll wake up from? What will the future look like? Why us? I could probably go on all day, using up my maximum of 800…
Living with an incurable neurodegenerative disease can be discouraging and frustrating. While I am thankful for medications and surgeries that provide some symptom relief and control, they have limitations. And sometimes, the side effects of the therapies are worse than the disease itself. That’s why it’s encouraging to hear that…
As of yesterday, my husband, Arman, and I have been married for 30 years, or 10,957 days. Happy anniversary to us! We celebrated with a rare dinner out, just the two of us. Our children surprised us by sending a delicious assortment of desserts to the restaurant, along with a…
When my three kids were small, I was a bit overprotective. My in-laws used to laugh about how my husband, Arman, and I kept a legal pad in our firstborn’s nursery to track her feedings and diaper contents. (Yes, I know, it was over the top.) While the kids were…
I love music; I always have. I grew up with hippie parents, and my dad always blasted rock ’n’ roll on his turntable through large, black speakers. He loved classic rock, so we kids did, too. We had little choice in the matter! When I turned 16, one of the…
As we headed to bed last night, it was storming loudly, with hail and terrible wind. Lightning flashed in the windows, and the rain came down all night long. When we awoke in the morning, the first words from my husband, Arman, were “Did the gorilla moo?” I wasn’t sure…
It was a cold, gray, rainy Saturday in Cleveland. My husband, Arman, and I would typically spend this kind of day relaxing at home, reading, renting a movie, or binge-watching a series while I fold laundry. But this day was different. I’d signed up for the Cleveland Clinic’s annual…
I was only 25 years old when I learned that I was going to be a mother. Although I still felt somewhat like a child myself, I couldn’t wait to become a mommy. I dreamed about meeting my baby every night for nine months straight. Throughout each stage of my…
My family was feeling very helpless and alone after my husband, Arman, was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease in 2009. He was only 38 years old then, and we were left floundering for a sense of hope. Soon after his diagnosis, close friends and family members approached me…
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