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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I recently began attending a support group for Parkinson’s disease caregivers. Although I may have been one of the group’s youngest members, I’ve been a caregiver for longer than most, as…
“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…
“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…
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…
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,…
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…
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,…
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,…
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…
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?…
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…
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…
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