Journey With Parkinson’s: Crossing the Bridge

"Retirement can and will be a glorious time in your life. You'll love the freedom and ability to try new things. It's a new phase of life; a chance to be a beginner again." Richard Carlson "Retirement is the last opportunity for individuals to reinvent themselves, let go of the past, and find peace and …

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 …

Your Greatest Wealth Is Your Health

"The greatest wealth is health" Virgil “The first wealth is health” Ralph Waldo Emerson Introduction: When I recently met my new Family Practice physician (the third one in less than 2 years), she said "My health was my wealth." I left that medical visit with her comment stuck in my brain. Thus, the topic here, …

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 …

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 …

The Importance of Exercise to Help Manage Parkinson’s

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." Lou Holtz "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." John Wooden A New Paper Describing the Benefits of Exercise in Parkinson's: Corcos et al., (Corcos, D.M., G. Lamotte, N.S. Luthra, and …

How Do You Feel When You Wake Up Each Morning With Parkinson’s?

"Be willing to be a beginner every single morning." Meister Eckhart "There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope." Bernard Williams A Beginning: On April 30, 2015, I posted the blog "How Do You Feel When You Wake Up Each Morning?" (Click here to read it). Essentially, I quickly inventory myself …

Happy Thanksgiving: Live On, Our Lives Have Not Been Canceled By Parkinson’s

"Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." Harvey Fierstein "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." Dolly Parton Introduction: On October 23, 2015, I posted a blog entitled "Poetry to Parkinson's'." I go back occasionally and revisit old blog posts. Today, "Poetry to Parkinson's"(click here) was …

Words Worth Living in the Presence of Parkinson’s

“You can observe a lot just by watching.” Yogi Berra “Though the road's been rocky it sure feels good to me.” Bob Marley Introduction: Since my diagnosis with Parkinson's, I seem to have become a collector of quotes and sayings. Some make me smile, like the one above from Yogi Berra. Some make me take …

Science Sunday: The Benefit of Taking Naps and Using Non-Sleep Deep Rest to Improve the Quality-of-Life in Parkinson’s

"I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four." Yogi Berra "Persevere. Plan. Strategize. Focus. Breathe. Write. Let go: relax. Forgive. All this failing: take a nap." Mary Anne Radmacher Introduction: Many experts in the field of neurology believe that most if not all, neuropsychiatric disorders are linked to atypical sleep patterns. And guess …