World Parkinson’s Awareness Day April 11, 2024

"Don't give up. Don't ever give up." Jim Valvano “You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it’s enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up.” Richelle E. Goodrich World Parkinson’s Disease Day is April 11: Parkinson’s Disease Awareness month is the month of …

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 …

Brief Report: Comparison of the COMT Inhibitor Opicapone to Entacapone in Parkinson’s

"When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?'" Sydney J. Harris "Comparison is the death of joy." Mark Twain Overview: Recently, I have presented two blog posts on COMT (Catechol-O-methyl transferase) Inhibitors: "COMT Inhibitors in Parkinson's: Tell Me More, Tell Me More" (click here) and "Addendum …

Word for Wednesday: Parkinsonism

"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- …

Parkinson’s: The Care Partner and the Rain Song

"I am also praying for you, my beloved partner. God has a miracle breakthrough for your life." Mike Evans "For me, a dream partner is someone who is willing to learn and to put their trust in me." Derek Hough Précis: This blog post is dedicated to the Care Partner for any person-with-Parkinson's (PwP) or …

Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)

"You swing your best when you have the fewest things to think about." Bobby Jones "Through years of experience I have found that air offers less resistance than dirt." Jack Nicklaus Introduction: If you have read this blog any time, you know how much I love the game of golf. It is a fun sport …

Parkinson’s: Another Day

“Step by step, moment by moment, we live through another day.” Anne McCaffrey I just try to understand that tomorrow is another day.” Bob Dylan Introduction: The singer-songwriter James Taylor and I have some common bonds. Although James Taylor was born in Boston, MA, he grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. His father, Dr. Isaac …

Words with Hope

"There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow." Orison Swett Marden “Hope is a waking dream.” Aristotle Introduction: Over the years, I have used blog posts about a specific word, feeling, or emotion. A frequent word used a lot here is the word …

Journey with Parkinson’s: Tribute to the Greatest Generation

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes." William James "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." Elmer Davis Introduction: The Greatest Generation was a book written in 1998 by journalist …

Treating Parkinson’s with Carbidopa/Levodopa

"If you are always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be." Maya Angelou "Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay." Maya Angelou Précis: This blog post's primary goal is to present an overview of Carbidopa/Levodopa (originally named Sinemet) for treating Parkinson's. A secondary objective was …