Rock Steady Fighter

  People with Parkinson's are often told to speak louder or speak with intention.  This is of course because Parkinson's can wreak havoc with our voices and make them soft and hoarse.  Maybe it is time for people with Parkinson's to get loud for another  reason. Over 200 years ago, James Parkinson wrote his essay called   Shaking Palsy   where he described Parkinson's.  Yes, scientists have been documenting and studying Parkinson's for a very long time.  We have been waiting too long for a cure or at the very least, a treatment that will slow this beast down or stop it in its tracks.  No one seems to know why it is taking so long. Other diseases have received more funding and attention and have gotten results faster.  No one is saying that the people with those diseases aren't deserving of treatments.  We all want health and healing.  I do wonder why funding for Parkinson's from the NIH is going down each year while the nu...

  Forgive me for the lengthy post;  when looking back at this year, I guess I have a lot to say. When 2020 started, I was very excited about the things going on in the Parkinson’s community in Orange County. There were multiple support groups meeting every week and the number of fitness classes was growing from one end of the county to the other. Educational events and outings were filling our calendars. Our small group at PD Buzz was busy trying to reach people with PD and keep them connected to all that was happening. And then came COVID and put a screeching halt to almost everything...at least for a little while. It didn’t take long for the leaders in the PD community worldwide to jump into action. Knowing how detrimental isolation and a sedimentary lifestyle can be for those with Parkinson’s, these professionals quickly adapted and started holding groups and classes online. We all learned a new meaning to the word “zoom.” Our living rooms and garages quickly became gy...

  Communication for people with Parkinson’s can have its challenges.  Hearing loss, masked expressions and soft voices can make things difficult. Our recent rules of 6-foot social distancing and wearing masks only compound the problem. At a recent venture to the grocery store, I realized how difficult it was to communicate in my usual way.  I no longer knew what someone meant when they stopped and nodded to me.  I couldn’t see their whole face.  Were they pausing to let me go in front of them?  Were they warning me not to get too close?  Were they smiling or grimacing? Likewise, others couldn’t see my facial expressions.   Here are some things to keep in mind and maybe help you communicate more easily. Did you know that 70% of communication is non-verbal?  This includes body movement and orientation, hand gestures, vocal intonation, eye contact and facial expressions.  All of this is more difficult to interpret from a distance and f...

 Oh, the weather outside is frightful…or maybe it’s not so frightful if you’re living in beautiful southern California.  The weather typically isn’t one of our worries this time of year, but this time of year can certainly bring its challenges for anyone, especially someone living with PD.  I don’t know if you’re like me, but I do best when I follow a strict routine.  Wake up early, take meds at designated times, eat food that is not only nutritious but is timed around taking those meds, go to exercise classes regularly, hang out with people that understand my limitations and aren’t offended when I need some down time, making sure I have that down time daily so my stress levels stay low.  Where in this routine am I going to fit family gatherings, holiday parties, shopping and more shopping, sending cards, decorating the house, and don’t forget baking dozens of cookies for the neighbors? Here’s a few tips to help you through the holidays with PD. Set an alarm for...

  Three years ago today I heard those words, "You have Parkinson's Disease."  If you had told me then that in three years I would be healthier, stronger, and more confident, I would not have believed you.  That day, I believed it was all going to be downhill from there.  There have definitely been some challenges but everyone has challenges and I have to remember that sometimes, life's challenges are just a normal part of life and getting older.  After all, I'm not 20 anymore. PD or Normal Life? If you have been diagnosed with something serious like PD, you may tend to blame everything on your disease.  I know that I do this on a regular basis. My stiff and achy joints must be a result of PD and not the fact that I just spent hours at the gym working really hard... and I'm not 20 anymore. My need to grab glasses to read on a regular basis must be PD affecting my eyes and not the fact that all my friends without PD are doing the same thing...and I'm not 20 ...

  It seems someone is always trying to sell you something online and the Big Brother of the Internet has your demographics down to a science. I am one of those people who never gives truthful personal information online in an effort to not let Big Brother know me too well.  I told Facebook that I am a 114 year old man and yet, I get bombarded with ads for hot flash treatments and hormone supplements. How do THEY know? You only need to put one word in a google search and you will get ads for days and days related to that one topic.   These days, numerous ads for products, supplements, treatments and devices related to Parkinson's shower my social media. I know this is because of my daily searches for something, anything, new that might help me and others with Parkinson's.  As much as I try not to pay attention to these ads,  I'm as human and as desperate as the next person and it is hard not to hope something will work.   Once in a while, I will try out some...

  Although I never wanted Parkinson's, I am thankful for some of the things it has taught me.   I have learned to enjoy everyday, mundane activities.   Those things in everyone's day that they don't think about, often stand out to me.    I am able to rise easily  from a chair,  do laundry and cook dinner.  I can drive to the grocery store when needed.  Although household chores are not fun, I find joy in the fact that I can do them.  I know all too well now that not everyone can do these things. I have learned to take advantage of the times when I feel my best.   Parkinson's can be so unpredictable throughout the day that there are times when simple tasks become hard.  You might find me chopping vegetables for dinner in the middle of the morning because I am feeling good in the morning and never know what the afternoon will bring.  (It often brings tremors and fatigue).  If it ends up being a good afternoon,...