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…
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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I may be overprotective, but it’s progress, not perfection
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…
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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…
My tips on how to stay calm during stressful situations
Early one morning a few weeks ago, I was in the bathroom drying my hair, which usually takes about 30 minutes every few days. I stood in front of the mirror with the dryer…
Vitamin B1 for Parkinson’s disease wasn’t the miracle we’d hoped for
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with vitamin B1. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Last fall, at my…
Parkinson’s can’t stop us from making treasured memories
My most treasured moments come from just a handful of days in my life. The first was the sunny, beautiful day in July 1995 when I married my husband, Arman. Then there are the…
Exploring some helpful Parkinson’s resources available online
Besides my husband, Arman, we don’t have any friends or family members with Parkinson’s disease. However, we do have a relative, Rose Brown, who’s a social worker working solely with Parkinson’s patients.
My husband’s Parkinson’s diagnosis prompts ever-evolving feelings
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…
Promoting understanding during Parkinson’s Awareness Month
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…
When traveling with Parkinson’s disease, pack less and laugh more
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…
My husband’s guide to living with Parkinson’s: Humor and support
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…
