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.
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…
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If you’re reading this column, there’s a good chance you have some connection to Parkinson’s disease. I say this because I don’t often receive comments from readers who aren’t touched by Parkinson’s in…
If someone says the words “Parkinson’s disease,” what’s the first thought that comes to your mind? How do you visualize this disease? I can’t help but think about how I used to visualize…
Traveling can be so stressful that it often feels like we need a vacation after the vacation. For my husband, Arman, who has early-onset Parkinson’s disease, and me, all of the relaxation…
Whenever anyone asks my husband, Arman, how he is doing, his standard reply has become, “Living the dream.” He usually gets a good laugh from this response, and they quickly move on to other…
I love doing one kind act for a stranger each day. I have done this for as long as I can remember. It was quite a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, though, since…
I never thought I’d be interested in a support group for Parkinson’s caregivers. When my husband, Arman, was diagnosed, we were both in our late 30s, and I certainly didn’t think I…
I was in line behind a young mother at the grocery store last week. She was probably in her early 40s and had three beautiful children in tow. The line moved slowly, so I…
One of my most vivid parenting memories involves my oldest daughter, Alexa, who’s now 27. We lived in Boston then, and I had enrolled her in a preschool program for 3-year-olds. She would…
There’s a small white church near the entrance to my old neighborhood. I used to drive by it daily. Outside the church was a large sign where meaningful quotes were posted. Over the 20…
Until recently, my husband, Arman, and I have been very private about his Parkinson’s diagnosis and our life dealing with the disease. He was diagnosed in 2009 with early-onset Parkinson’s at age…
Have you ever pondered the question “Who am I?” Personally, I never have. This won’t surprise anyone who knows me, as I’m not the type of person who self-reflects. But I recently started…
I truly love writing my column, “The Bright Side.” It has been a great way to chronicle my experiences as a mother, as well as a wife and caregiver to my husband,…
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