Today, I learned about a hero. His name is Tony and though his name may never be a household word and you may not recognize him on the street, he is a true hero in my book. Today he is undergoing experimental DBS Plus surgery.
We live in an incredible time of medical advances. Every day scientists find new treatments and sometimes even cures for horrible diseases. Along that journey, real people are volunteering to try out these treatments before they are proven to help or not. These heroes are real folks like you and me suffering from a plethora of illnesses. Today, I thank God for Tony and for his courage. I thank God for those who have been there before him getting poked and prodded in the name of research. I thank God for the doctors that are in the middle of the battle with us and refuse to give up. Tony, you are a brave, valiant warrior. You have a prayer warrior in me that is forever thankful. I pray that if the opportunity ever presents itself, I can be as brave as Tony.
At the end of a year, it is common to look back and take stock of what has been working and what needs to change. This past year, 2024, marked the eight-year anniversary of my Parkinson’s diagnosis and the seven-year anniversary of being a dedicated, passionate, leader in my local Parkinson’s community. It also was my most difficult year living with the symptoms of Parkinson’s. I ended the year exhausted, sick with Covid, and beyond frustrated with the status quo of Parkinson’s treatments, and our current healthcare system. People with a neurodegenerative condition like Parkinson’s should not have to fight so hard to get treatments they need. Even with all the research being done, and money being spent, Parkinson’s remains the fastest growing neurological disorder. It is still progressive with no cure. We are still having to fight to ban substances that we know cause Parkinson’s. The scale has tipped for me this year. In 2025, I will spend more ...

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