The Battle Within Continues Against the Shadow of Parkinson’s

"Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." Marianne Williamson "Turn to the light. Don't fear the shadow it creates." Ted Dekker Preface: I was born in the 1950s, but I remember growing up in the 1960s on an Air Force Base near the Pacific Ocean, between San Francisco and Los Angeles. My …

Parkinson’s and Dopamine: Remembering “Days of Future Passed” by the Moody Blues

"We make our way through everything like thread passing through fabric, giving shape to images that we ourselves do not know." Rainer Maria Rilke "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." Maya Angelou Prelude: Do you remember the Moody Blues? Did you ever listen to their music? An interesting, …

Journey with Parkinson’s: “Fine-tuning” Dopaminergic Therapy

"Like cars, every relationship requires a bit of an occasional service, and fine-tuning should be compulsory." Mariella Frostrup "I actually credit Twitter with fine-tuning some joke-writing skills. I still feel like I'm working at it." Steve Martin Introduction: For those of you who have followed this blog for several years or more, I have typically …

Happy New Year and Something Very Different About Dopamine

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." Bill Vaughan "Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one." Brad Paisley Maintaining a Southern Tradition for Starting the New Year: For many past years, I …

Journey with Parkinson’s: A Reminder About the Interference of Protein with the Uptake of Carbidopa/Levodopa

"Life is too short to worry about anything" Eric Davis "Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we're all in this together." Brené Brown The Need for Increased Protein as We Age: As we age, we lose muscle mass, a condition called sarcopenia. To offset age-related muscle loss, one can start exercising and increase …

Journey with Parkinson’s: One Day at a Time

"Always remember that the future comes one day at a time." Dean Acheson "Take life one day at a time because every day is a different day with new challenges." Penny Streeter The Diagnosis: I received the news of my Parkinson's diagnosis on Tuesday, March 11, 2014. This was 4,256 days ago. As I have …

Journey With Parkinson’s: Managing the First Ten Days After Hip Replacement Surgery

"I don't like surgery. I don't like elective surgery, I don't like surgery that you have to have." Sandra Bernhard "Truth, like surgery, may hurt, but it cures." Han Suyin Précis: On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, I had total hip replacement surgery on my right hip. Why talk about hip surgery when the blog focuses …

Journey with Parkinson’s: A Reality Check

"We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us." Joseph Campbell "The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance." Nathaniel Branden Introduction: If you have Parkinson's, we share the common thread by its name but not by its expression. …

Six Things a Person with Parkinson’s can Learn from Rory McIlroy’s Victory in the 2025 Masters Golf Tournament

"I've always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win." Arnold Palmer "I'm in the woods so much I can tell you which plants are edible." Lee Trevino Introduction: Not everyone is interested in the results …

World Parkinson’s Disease Day (2025): Face the Fear and Keep Hope Alive

“You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it’s enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up.” Richelle E. Goodrich “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” Mary Anne …