Living

So much of life is about balance. Balance affects almost every aspect of our lives including relationships. Keeping a healthy relationship in balance is hard and it becomes harder when Parkinson’s disease...

One thing I did when I took over managing my father’s health care providers is make sure that the doctors treating him not only understand his needs and his disease...

I am a planner. I don’t like surprises. I hate magic shows. Okay, I admit, I’m a bit of a control freak. So, it’s natural for me to need to...

In recent years, the term "detox" has gotten popularized by fad diets, social media, and diet culture. But the true sense of the word holds value when it comes to...

Caffeinated beverages such as coffee and tea can be both a blessing and a curse. While they are rich in nutrients and contain neuroprotective properties, they can also interrupt your...

For a long time, I have avoided admitting to others that I have depression and anxiety. I am embarrassed. I feel ashamed. Pretending I’m not depressed or anxious with others...

When Posy was first diagnosed, she was warned about the side effects of dopamine agonist medicines. At each subsequent appointment, she would be asked if she had developed any obsessive...

About 35 years ago, I was working in an assisted living facility as a speech pathologist. I entered Sam's room to evaluate speech, voice, and swallow functioning. He was a nice...

I recently woke up to a message from my dad. He wrote: "Mary Beth, you should look and see if there’s a correlation between cramping and Parkinson’s." It seems that...

I was commuting to work when I noticed that something was significantly wrong with my left arm and leg. The limbs on the left side of my body were significantly...

When my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2013, I responded with denial. I assumed that, if he really had it, his life would be snuffed out too soon. That...

When my dad signed himself up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, a flood of relief washed over me. Both of my parents are in their 60s, and I limited my...

Today, August 26, 2021, I turn 50 years old. And it has been 5 years since Avalanche Day, aka the day of diagnosis (September 27.) However, I am 10 years...

About 35 years ago, I had been taught some biofeedback techniques while participating in a lupus clinical trial. Could biofeedback be applied to my Parkinson’s as well? Biofeedback is a...

As my symptoms progressed and became more apparent, I wanted to explain my Parkinson’s disease to my 6 grandchildren. They range in age from 5 to 20 years old. I...

I didn’t come looking for you. I was intent on buying a "lesser" model. "Oh, but I have something that will be hard to resist" spoken like one would expect...

Once upon a time, while chatting with a fellow teacher about how to engage our college students in their journey to academic success, we found ourselves in a discussion of...

I recently watched an episode of Jon Oliver’s show. My roommate had picked it to watch while we ate dinner. I had never watched Jon Oliver before. I knew of...

Many people who mingle with Parkinson’s wonder how it feels. Here, I’d like to take you on a trip from top to bottom to give you my feels. My toes...

The Managing Treatment and Medication Survey is now closed. Thank you for your interest! Treatment is a big part of managing a chronic (long-term) health condition like Parkinson's Disease. Often...