The gift of letting people in
Living with Parkinson’s disease means constantly negotiating the unpredictable: tremors that come and go without warning, stiffness that turns a short walk into a major expedition, fatigue that hits like a wave. It’s…
The Impatient Patient — Doc Irish
Doc Irish is a “patient research scientist,” not a real doctor. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at age 49 in 2020. He has an amazing family, is married with four children, owner of a healthcare market research firm. Believed to have eventually developed the disorder due to herbicide exposure while working for a landscaping company in high school and college – initial concerns were all about possible causes and trying to rule out genetic links. Now, focused on how can we try to make sense of brain-body dynamics… and how to accelerate real-world therapies.
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Thoughts on broadening Parkinson’s stimulation treatments
In recent columns, I touched on my frustrations with clinical trials and how, as a patient, I felt out of the loop regarding meaningful research and development. Despite all my efforts to get…
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In my quest for therapeutics, necessity is the mother of invention
In my columnist profile, I describe myself as a “patient research scientist,” although I’m not a real scientist (and I’m not patient). This description probably applies to most people with neurological disorders, as we’re…
Heightening patients’ contributions to Parkinson’s research
I became extremely frustrated with the whole treatment and research system when I was denied access to the Parkinson’s disease clinical trial I wanted to participate in. That prompted many questions: Why does…
Once patients find a clinical trial, they still face challenges
What’s the best way for people with Parkinson’s to contribute to research? I recently talked about how there are always more questions than answers and how there must be better ways to…
As I continue to study Parkinson’s, I see more questions than answers
Since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease four years ago, I’ve become obsessed with trying to understand everything about it. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I question and test…
The importance of ‘seeing the field’ in life with Parkinson’s disease
I was watching my youngest daughter’s high school lacrosse game the other night and commented to my wife, “She’s seeing the field really well right now.” We talked a bit about how it’s obvious,…
Exploring the right combination of treatments for Parkinson’s disease
In my last column, I discussed the importance of pursuing a collaborative effort with healthcare providers to develop a holistic and personalized approach to managing Parkinson’s symptoms. Today, I’ll delve into the…
Treatment for Parkinson’s requires a nuanced and integrated approach
Living with Parkinson’s disease is an intricate dance of challenges. For me, pain has been a persistent partner on this journey. For years, my coping strategy was to try to push the…
Refereeing basketball has helped me keep Parkinson’s on the sidelines
When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, one of my fears was that I would have to stop refereeing basketball. The game of basketball has been a big part of my life since…
In life with Parkinson’s, we must embrace ugliness to find beauty
Can there be anything beautiful in Parkinson’s disease? It’s so easy to see the ugly and clutch the feeling that all is lost. I hate to say it, but sometimes we need to…
With Parkinson’s disease, can we teach old dogs new tricks?
Do you ever notice how symptoms of Parkinson’s disease sometimes seem to start at the perimeter? You might first get a twitch in your pinkie finger or thumb, or it might be some…
