"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.
"Patience and fortitude conquer all things." Ralph Waldo Emerson "I know of no higher fortitude than stubborness in the face of overwhelming odds." Louis Nizer Overview: Recently, I reviewed a clinical trial involving ablation of the globus pallidus by focused ultrasound to treat Parkinson's (click here to read this blog post). Some time ago, I …
"Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience." Paulo Coelho "Resilience is not what happens to you. It’s how you react to, respond to, and recover from what happens to you." Jeffrey Gitomer Introduction: The clinical trial results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Krishna et al. (2023), dealing with ultrasound treatment …
Continue reading "Focused Ultrasound Ablation Therapy of the Globus Pallidus for Parkinson’s"
"Fatigue is the best pillow." Benjamin Franklin "Fatigue roughens up the edges of your nerves; it exposes your fears and your weaknesses." June Havoc Introduction: Fatigue is a standard part of everyday life. Fatigue is especially prevalent in the Parkinson's community. Herein is a brief overview of fatigue in people (person)-with-Parkinson's (PwP). "Many fears are born …
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." Pablo Picasso "We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize." Nhat Hanh Précis: This post exists because I received a note from a reader concerned about using a substance that potentially was an …
"A correct diagnosis is three-fourths the remedy." Mahatma Gandhi "The art of clinical diagnosis lies in the ability to ask the right questions." Harriet B. Braiker What is Parkinsonism? How is this different from Parkinson's? Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder that destroys dopamine-producing dopaminergic neurons. As Parkinson's progresses, other brain areas are affected, leading to motor- …
"Come grow old with me. The best is yet to be." William Wordsworth "As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning." Criss Jami Introduction: Likely, everyone in the world has said the words "COVID-19 Pandemic" at some point since early 2020. From mid-February 2020 to December 2022, more than 324,000 publications …
Continue reading "10 Lessons Learned About COVID-19 and Parkinson’s"
"Let us resolve to do the best we can with what we've got." William Feather "Maybe this year, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives not looking for flaws, but looking for potential." Ellen Goodman Happy New Year! In the New Year, may you maintain excellent health, create quality time for loved …
Continue reading "Happy New Year (2023) from the Journey with Parkinson’s"
"The greatest achievement is to outperform yourself." Denis Waitley "Sometimes, carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement." Albert Camus Introduction: Have you been taking carbidopa/levodopa to treat your Parkinson's? Are you experiencing any off-on periods? Do you have any dyskinesia? Do you think it's time to change your dosing pattern or the timing …
Continue reading "A Graph of Your Daily Level of Exogenous Levodopa"
"Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before." Elizabeth Edwards "Health is wholeness and balance, an inner resilience that allows you to meet the demands of living without being overwhelmed." Andrew Weil Introduction: The goal is to review the role(s) played by dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine (also …
Continue reading "The Complex Role of Neurotransmitters in Parkinson’s"
"In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result." James Allen "Storms make trees take deeper roots." Dolly Parton Introduction: In the presence of Parkinson's, each person encounters a different invader that can progress very slowly or evolves quickly. Symptoms expressed are …
Journey with Parkinson's 