The Passing of a Mentor and Friend

"I encourage all of you to seek out teachers and mentors that challenge you to think for yourself and guide you to find your own voice." Renee Olstead "The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves." Steven Spielberg The News: It …

Journey with Parkinson’s: Mind the Gap- Writing Blog Posts Again

"There are three constants in life... change, choice and principles." Stephen Covey "I haven't gotten stuck with something because I just keep going, and I keep doing different things." Lili Taylor My Absence the Past Few Months: Three points to write about.•#1- Conflict of time between blog writing and article writing- Although I have been …

Review of Controlled-release Carbidopa-Levodopa and Extended-release Carbidopa-Levodopa Drugs, Rytary and Crexont

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." Maya Angelou "Endure and persist; this pain will turn to good by and by." …

Managing the Consequences of an “Off” Day

Précis: I can recall this happening twice during the past 12 years. What am I talking about? It was a day where everything seemed to be "off" regarding my symptoms, primarily motor-related. Has this ever happened to you? If so, I'd like to hear how you dealt with a prolonged off-period. A Typical "Off-On" Period: …

Supplements for Treating Parkinson’s: A Scientific Perspective and Personal Update

"I never think of the future - it comes soon enough." Albert Einstein "We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future." George Bernard Shaw Describing Some of the Science Behind Using Supplements to Treat Parkinson's: There are many ways to start and defend this section. …

The Resistance to Enjoyment and Pleasure, or Anhedonia, Reveals a Distinct Neural Pattern in Studies Using Mice

"I am really very, very tired of everything - more than tired." Friedrich Nietzsche "There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds." Laurell K. Hamilton Anhedonia and Parkinson's: Anhedonia is a non-motor-related problem in Parkinson's. It is a core symptom of depression in Parkinson's …

Journey with Parkinson’s: Happy Thanksgiving

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." Meister Eckhart A Thought at Thanksgiving: According to Wikipedia, "Thanksgiving (in the United States) As the name implies, the …

Journey with Parkinson’s: Rigid and Sore Muscles (Psoas, Piriformis, Quadratus Lumborum, and Lumbar Multifidus)

"Being the first to cross the finish line makes you a winner in only one phase of life. It's what you do after you cross the line that really counts." Ralph Boston "The key is that I control my life; my life doesn't control me." Gabrielle Reece The Musculoskeletal System: Muscles work together with bones …

Journey With Parkinson’s: The Rolling Stones

"[joking about the length of the Rolling Stones' career] You have the sun, you have the moon, you have the air that you breathe - and you have the Rolling Stones!" Keith Richards "There are some Rolling Stones songs that are just stunners." John Lydon Introduction: We embarked on a musical journey to Atlanta, Georgia, …

Science Sunday: Baroreflex Dysfunction and Orthostatic Hypotension in Parkinson’s

"Winning comes down to who can execute under pressure." Billie Jean King "No pressure, no diamonds." Thomas Carlyle Scenario #1: You're lying on the floor for a stretch in a physical therapy session. You rise to your feet, and the world starts spinning suddenly. You feel dizzy and disoriented, and the room takes a few minutes …