"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.
"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith." Steve Jobs Parkinson mPower iPhone App: Do you think a smartphone app that measures several symptoms in Parkinson's would be helpful (personally)? Do you want to be part of an international study to monitor symptoms/progression of Parkinson's? Are you willing to give feedback/suggestions …
Continue reading "Parkinson mPower iPhone Application: Tracking Symptoms in Real Time"
"The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better." Paulo Coelho In a recent post, I listed the various types of therapy being used to treat my Parkinson's. Importantly, I believe …
Continue reading "Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Parkinson’s"
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring There are many ways to describe and relate to Parkinson's. Here is one viewpoint. An acronym that I use to describe “PARKINSON’S” is: Positive and hopeful, Attitude matters, Responsibility to keep trying, …
Continue reading "Parkinson’s Disease- What the Words Represent"
"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." Randy Pausch The good news is that my diagnosis explains all of the health issues I've had for the past three years. The bad news is that I've been diagnosed with Parkinson's. If you don't know anything about Parkinson's, go to …
Parkinson’s is truly a puzzling disorder.If ten of us had the flu, we would all have similar, if not identical, symptoms. Ten of us with Parkinson’s, likely all would have different symptoms expressed. Every person with Parkinson's will experience symptoms differently. Parkinson’s is truly a disabling disorder. Yet, there are many strategies for managing our …
Parkinson's affects your ability to move. Exercise keeps muscles strong, improves flexibility and mobility, especially in Parkinson's. Exercise will not stop the progression of Parkinson's but it may help slow it down; however, it improves balance, reverses stiffening of joints, improves mobility, and definitely exercise bolsters your spirits. Exercise has been an almost daily part …
“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 Grow factors are substances (proteins) that help regulate cell division and promote …
“You cannot separate passion from pathology any more than you can separate a person's spirit from his body.” Richard Selzer What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a lipid (that is, a fat) that exists naturally in all parts of the body, including the brain. Your body needs cholesterol to function properly. You probably already know that if …
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi As a scientist and medical educator, I read a lot for work (papers, reviews, chapters, books). There are 100's of books and 1000's of papers written about Parkinson's Disease (PD or Parkinson's), so where did I begin …
"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” Maya Angelou A year ago this week I got the good/bad news from my Neurologist. The 'good' news was that we can deal/treat/manage my current symptoms. The 'bad' news was that I had Parkinson's …
Journey with Parkinson's 