The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 8: Living with Parkinson’s: Facing New Challenges with Dyskinesia
Just when I thought I had my treatment plan under control, everything shifted. Living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often feels like that — just when one issue is managed, another steps in. Today, I want to share three vital things I’ve learned about dyskinesia — the kind of lessons I believe every person with Parkinson’s […]
The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 7: The Impact of OFF Times: Finding Solutions
Living with Parkinson’s isn’t always about the visible tremors or the medications I take — sometimes it’s the quiet, heavy moments that are the hardest to process. When I’m in an OFF state, unpleasant and unexpected things can happen. These moments don’t just affect me physically; they can be emotionally difficult to handle, both for me and […]
The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 6: Can a Cup of Tea Help with Parkinson’s? My Journey with Herbs, Farnesol & Luteolin
It’s been nearly fifty years since the gold standard treatment for Parkinson’s was introduced. I’m grateful for the ways it has helped me and so many others, but I can’t help wondering if it’s time for the next evolution. Science keeps moving forward, and yet sometimes the answers don’t come from a pharmacy shelf — sometimes […]
The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 5: Parkinson’s Disease Stole My Energy – How I Got It Back
There was a time when I could work a twelve-hour day, come home, and still have enough left in the tank to fix something around the house. Somewhere along the way, my gas tank developed a leak — and I just couldn’t plug it. The loss of energy didn’t happen overnight. It crept in so quietly […]
The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 4: My New Parkinson’s VILIM Ball Treatment Update – 3 Months In
Living with Parkinson’s means navigating a landscape that is always shifting beneath your feet—sometimes subtly, sometimes abruptly. Over the past three months, I’ve been exploring a new form of vibration therapy using the VILIM Ball, a small device developed by Vilimed that’s designed to help manage Parkinson’s symptoms through localized mechanical stimulation. As someone who is not […]
The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 3: How I Made My Parkinson’s Treatment Plan
What makes a good treatment plan for Parkinson’s? That’s a big question. And if you’re like me, it can feel a little overwhelming at first. When I was first diagnosed, I had this fog of uncertainty that hung over everything. It’s not like someone hands you a perfect instruction manual with your diagnosis. There’s no one-size-fits-all […]
The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 2: My Parkinson’s Diet Plan: What You Need to Know
There’s a quote: “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates It sounds simple, but it’s led me to reshape how I think about every bite I eat. If you’re wondering what’s changed for me lately, the answer lies in how I eat, what I eat, and most importantly — why I eat […]
The Parkinson’s Journey – Chapter 1: You’re Out of Options for Parkinson’s Treatments
In the world of chronic illness, few words land harder than this one-liner: “I’m sorry, there’s nothing more that can be done for you.” It’s a phrase that marks a shift—sometimes sudden, sometimes creeping—where hope through traditional means seems to run dry. For people with Parkinson’s, especially those still adjusting to the diagnosis, hearing those […]
Protein and Parkinson’s: Three Things You Need to Know
For me, living with Parkinson’s feels like a daily battle just trying to time my meals around my medication. I often joke that my life with Parkinson’s has a “good vs. evil” battle: on one side, the L-DOPA medication that keeps me ON; on the other, protein-rich foods that keep my body going — but at a cost. […]
When the Urge Won’t Let Go: My Journey through Parkinson’s, Dopamine, and Compulsive Behaviors
Understanding Impulsive and Compulsive Behaviors (ICBs) Before I learned the term ICB, I was living it. Experts define ICBs as irresistible urges to engage in activities that feel rewarding but can become excessive or harmful. These can include pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, binge eating, hyper sexuality, or punding (repetitive, purposeless tasks). In Parkinson ’s disease, ICBs are not a […]