Life-Stories and Updates on Parkinson’s Science

“E.E Cummings wrote, “To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody but yourself – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight- and never stop fighting.” Brené Brown

Teaching, and more teaching: I spent most of June and July getting ready for the fall semester.  And since early August, I have been totally immersed in medical school (started August 6) and senior-level undergraduate education (started August 18). Working hard is not a problem but striving to teach both well and effectively has always been the goal.

My favorite check-out person at Whole Foods recently asked me “How large is the medical school class?”  I replied “180 students.” He then said “I am glad we still have so many students interested in medicine because we definitely need them.  And I know how proud you are of their effort.” I simply smiled and said “I am very proud of their commitment to learn.” Additionally, I am happy with the senior undergraduate students and their enthusiasm to learn in my disease biology course.  The education-part of my career is quite fulfilling and a lot of fun.

“What is a teacher? It isn’t someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give his or her best in order to discover what she/he already knows.” Paulo Coelho

Blog posts past, present and future:  My original goal was to write 2 stories/week and this was accomplished during the last 5 months.  The writing and researching the science of Parkinson’s has always been done in the evenings and on weekends. However, the fall is always full of education and the rest of my academic life (research and administrative round out each day); my free time of evenings/weekends mostly disappears.  Life for me is centered around work, balanced by spending time with loved ones and as much exercise as time allows.  Nonetheless, finding time to write and research stories for the ‘journey with Parkinson’s’ has now become a part of my life; it matters to me.

“What we have to be is what we are.” Thomas Merton

Coming life-stories and Parkinson’s science updates: Here is a preview of the various stories (personal and Parkinson’s science) that are in draft format.  My plan (hopefully) is to finish them over the next few weeks-months:
-Love in the Presence of Parkinson’s;
-Gender Differences in Parkinson’s;
-Arginase in Alzheimer’s: A New Hope;
-Parkinson’s and the Positivity of Michael J. Fox;
-8 Simple Suggestions to Make You Happier;
-Description of Parkinson’s;
-Living With Parkinson’s: Life Is Why;
-Words Worth Living Revisited;
–Nerve Growth Factor Gene Therapy in Alzheimer’s;
-Immune System and Parkinson’s (Part 2): Role of the Innate Immune System.

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.  And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” Albert Camus