Traveling with Parkinson's

Like Angela and Robb, my husband, Brig, and I traveled to the PAN forum every year for almost 20 years, and to NIH for 2. He was diagnosed at 46, making the rest of our lives PD oriented.

I found train as being the easiest, but getting through the crowds in Philadelphia horrible. I made sure we had a porter, who would take us down to the train, by elevator, and help me get Brig on and in a seat. Getting off in D.C. was not too difficult. That was the only way it was possible to do this trip. My point is always make sure you have help, most means of travel will help if you ask. Returning from D.C. was much easier because they made a point of asking for senior citizens, or anyone with difficulty at the very beginning of boarding. We could manage to get to the train, and find a seat by ourselves.

The difference in how travelers were treated is my point, but even with this help, I had times when the crowds would not move, my tip was then, and could be used now, was to clearly, and often loudly, announce that Brig had what Michael J. Fox had. This statement, associated Parkinson's with Michael, and understood what problems it brought.