"Where Life Meets Parkinson's." A blog for Parkinson's education, research advances, treatment strategies, and personal reflection. The goal is to provide support and resources to anyone either with Parkinson's disease or with any neurodegenerative disorder.
"I wear the mask. It does not wear me." Man in the Iron Mask "See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness." Luke 11:35 PrĂ©cis: The simplest way to describe Parkinson's is that it's a movement disorder due to the reduction of dopamine production. Sometimes one of the more obvious places …
“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.” Homer, The Odyssey “Man is a genius when he is dreaming.” Akira Kurosawa PrĂ©cis: There are many manifestations associated with Parkinson's; one of the more frustrating aspects is the alteration of sleep patterns. Herein is a brief overview of sleep …
Continue reading "Sleep Disturbances in Parkinson’s and the Eagles Best Song Lyrics"
  "Your brain - every brain - is a work in progress. It is 'plastic.' From the day we're born to the day we die, it continuously revises and remodels, improving or slowly declining, as a function of how we use it." Michael Merzenich "The root of all health is in the brain. The trunk …
"In giving advice I advise you, be short." Horace "The journey is what brings us happiness not the destination." Dan Millman Introduction: Last month, I presented the Whitehead Lecture to the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). Here is what that means: "The annual Whitehead Lecture serves as an unofficial convocation for the School of Medicine. …
Continue reading "2016 Whitehead Lecture: Advice, Life Stories and the Journey with Parkinson’s"
"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." Carl Sagan "A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work." Colin Powell Introduction/Background: Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement. It evolves slowly, usually starting as either stiffness in a hand or a small tremor. Over time, Parkinson’s progresses; …
“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” Betty Friedane  “If we own the story then we can write the ending.” BrenĂ© Brown PrĂ©cis: To showcase the amazing art/photography/videography of Anders M. Leines who lives in Norway, which gives me the opportunity to voice an opinion about the emerging picture/image …
"One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest." Maya Angelou "Life is not a problem to be solved, but an experience to be had." Alan Watts Don't You Get The Summer Off?: …
Continue reading "Catching Up, Life-Stories, and Future Posts in Journey With Parkinson’s"
“At what point do you give up - decide enough is enough? There is only one answer really. Never.” Tabitha Suzuma "Be proud of your scars. They remind you that you have the will to live." Paulo Coelho PrĂ©cis: ~50% of the people with Parkinson's develop psychotic tendencies. Treatment of their psychosis can be relatively …
Continue reading "Treatment of Parkinson’s Psychosis with Nuplazid"
“There is no script. Live your life. Soak it all in.” Dick Costolo, University of Michigan in 2013 “I encourage you to live with life. Be courageous, adventurous. Give us a tomorrow, more than we deserve.” Maya Angelou, University of California Riverside in 1977 Introduction: Each spring semester, University systems have graduation ceremonies along with …
Continue reading "9 Life Lessons from 2016 Commencement Speeches"
“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.” Don Williams “Hope is a renewable option: If you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over in the morning.” Barbara Kingsolver Several …
Journey with Parkinson's 