Freezing of Gait (FOG) in Parkinson’s

"He followed in his father's footsteps, but his gait was somewhat erratic." Nicolas Bentley "Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait." Henry Ford Introduction: There are no enjoyable aspects of Parkinson’s. The symptoms of Parkinson's go from tolerable to bad and then to the worst. As the disorder progresses, a …

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 …

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: …

Journey With Parkinson’s: The Year in Review (2024) and Happy New Year (2025)

"For last year's words belong to last year's language And next year's words await another voice." T. S. Eliot "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." Hal Borland Précis: This post is a review of my public journey and …

Ten Summary Points From Mitchell AK, Bliss RR, Church FC. Exercise, Neuroprotective Exerkines, and Parkinson’s Disease: A Narrative Review. Biomolecules. 2024;14(10).

"To enjoy the glow of good health, you must exercise." Gene Tunney "Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being" Plato Introduction:  When we were growing up, we had shortcuts to reading the big classic books; we had "Cliff Notes." Our teachers hated them because it was one person expressing their opinion. Personally, …

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 …

Update on My Strategy Using Supplements in Treating Parkinson’s

"Be the kind of person who takes supplements - then skip the supplements." Michael Pollan "One, I am skeptical of the effectiveness of nutritional supplements." Michael Shermer Supplementing Our Treatment Plan: We all contribute to this collective knowledge, using various supplements and over-the-counter compounds to manage our Parkinson's. Besides exercise, what other strategies can we …

Journey With Parkinson’s: Mind the Gap

"Mind the gap - it's the distance between life as you dream it and life as it is." Cate Blanchett "The biggest gap in your life is between what you know and what you do." Bob Proctor Introduction: Several concerned readers have contacted me recently about not posting on "Journey with Parkinson's," asking about my …

Why Monitoring Every Parkinson’s Symptom Matters

"We must never neglect the patient's own use of his symptoms." Alfred Adler “A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption.” Guy de Maupassant Painful Leg Cramps with Parkinson’s: I bent down to put some extra toilet paper rolls into a bathroom cabinet this morning. Suddenly, the hamstring muscles in …

Frank Words on Living With Parkinson’s

"The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention." John Burroughs "Words mean nothing. Action is the only thing. Doing. That's the only thing." Ernest Gaines Introduction: Some blog posts get written in a single setting, and the flow from start to finish is just effortless. By contrast, some blog posts require extensive reading and …