"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.
“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it.” Rabindranath Tagore "Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey." Paulo Coelho Introduction: A year ago this month, my …
Continue reading "Update on I’m Still Here: Life with Parkinson’s"
“Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.” Winston S. Churchill “...remember that what has once been done may be done again.” Alexandre Dumas Introducing the terms: Déjà vu: "A feeling of having already experienced the present situation." (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/) Neuroplasticity: "The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming …
Continue reading "Déjà Vu and Neuroplasticity in Parkinson’s"
“For everything this disease has taken, something with greater value has been given–sometimes just a marker that points me in a new direction that I might not otherwise have traveled. So, sure, it may be one step forward and two steps back, but after a time with Parkinson’s, I’ve learned that what is important is …
Continue reading "Parkinson’s and the Positivity of Michael J. Fox"
“Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.” Will Duran “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'” Isaac Asimov Introduction: The goal of this post is to highlight several experimental model systems that have effectively been used in Parkinson's research. We have …
Continue reading "Importance of Model Systems in Parkinson’s Research"
“Never lose faith in yourself, and never lose hope; remember, even when this world throws its worst and then turns its back, there is still always hope.” Pittacus Lore "Hope is a function of struggle.” Brené Brown Beginning of the story: Tuesday, I drove from Chapel Hill, North Carolina to Blacksburg, Virginia (~3 1/2 hours, …
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagan “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” R. Buckminster Fuller Précis: Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are using an innovative approach to treat Parkinson's in …
Continue reading "Neuroprotection by Modified-Macrophages in a Parkinson’s Model System"
"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship but never in want." Irish Toast “As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” Criss Jami Happy New Year! Thanks for all of your support, feedback, responses and suggestions in 2015; they were most appreciated. 2016 …
Continue reading "11 Tips And Character Traits For Living Better With Parkinson’s"
“With Parkinson’s you have two choices: You can let it control you, or you can control it. And I’ve chosen to control it.” US Senator Isakson “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” Albert Einstein Introduction: In my academic career to-date, my research group and I …
Continue reading "Potential New Parkinson’s Drug Highlight: the Leukemia Drug Nilotinib"
“How are they going to see me — as the colleague as I have always been, or as the patient I always will be? That was the beginning of my transition.” Alice Lazzarini (a Parkinson’s researcher who was diagnosed with Parkinson's) Précis: After successfully hitting a golf ball out of a sand trap and onto …
Continue reading "6 Personal Strengths for Living Decisively with Parkinson’s"
“We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.” Carlos Castenada “Don’t be ashamed of your story, it will inspire others.” Unknown Background story: Over the years, my research career has been supported by various non-Federal organizations, in particular the American Heart Association (AHA) and Susan G. …
Continue reading "Moving Day® was a Morning to Move for Parkinson’s and a Time to be Moved"
Journey with Parkinson's 