Blog

So…last week, I did something that was sort of cool…maybe a bit outside of my usual routine…and something that I never thought I’d do 8 years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. I journeyed to Tanzania, Africa, and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route. What an amazing and challenging journey it was. Words cannot adequately describe the experience, but to say "it kicked my ass" would be an accurate clinical assessment. It's not that I wasn't physically prepared, it was more a case of high altitude and low oxygen challenging my Parkinson's embattled brain. The low dopamine levels in ...

Once again, science has proven that dopamine is wasted on all the wrong people. A new study published by researchers at the Delta Tau Chi fraternity chapter  of UT Health San Antonio found that alcohol impacts more than a human’s motor skills. It also discovered how it impacts a person’s decision making under the influence. I’m checking my sofa cushions for a dropped Parkinson’s pill, and these college punks are partying like it’s 2019! And getting the university to pick up the tab. At least that is the way that I like to picture this research ... when I found ...

It is safe to say that my attempt at New Year's humor went down like a proverbial lead balloon ... a "flight of fancy" reminiscent of the Hindenburg ... that thankfully was merely a test flight with no flight crew and no passengers. The unsubscribe requests were fast, and a few were furious. What I found to be most odd were the responses of people who wanted to lecture me that “Parkinson’s disease is no laughing matter.” ...

I was trapped near the inner circle of thought. I knew that being apathetic was a pathetic way to be, but I didn't care. If there was any hope for escape, I had to think fast ... literally. If I didn’t get my thoughts racing faster and faster, I would never be able to achieve escape velocity. A panic attack might be my only way out ...

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. People say that I have a way with words, but most will argue that my way is demeaning to the words, not to mention an exercise in futility for both the reader and the writer. I am a word bender, perhaps the last of my kind. I bend and manipulate words not for any greater good, but often solely for my own pleasure. I am a legend in what is left of my own mind ...

I used to worry about how much the exercise I did slowed the progression of PD. Not any more. I mostly just want to be the best I can possibly be. I'm more interested in the progression of me. What do I want to do? What can I achieve? And then how will I train to do it? What are you training for? How does Parkinson’s drive you? ...

Sleep disorders are one of the most common problems experienced by people with Parkinson's Disease. A major study concluded that more than 60% of people with PD experience sleep-related difficulties, with this percentage rising based on the length of time living with the disease. Insufficient sleep can severely impact quality of life, and exacerbate other PD symptoms. Like many other aspects of PD, while many people have sleep problems, they do not all have the same type of sleep disturbances. If you want to improve your sleep, it is important to understand the type(s) of sleep disturbance that you experience ...

“Where do you see me in five years?” I had been waiting a long time to ask that question.  At the top hospitals you don’t just get in next week, next month either. And when your day comes, there are lots of people waiting for their turn to ask important questions.  Doctors have little allotted time. My doctor had already turned toward the door.  My most pressing concern was still untreated. “I know you don’t have a crystal ball, but just some sense of what to plan for? My kids haven’t even started school.” To the doctor’s credit, the response was considered. MD: Five years…You’ll ...

Please don’t try this first part at home... What if I told you that you could snort saline solution up your nose and it would significantly improve your Parkinson’s disease symptoms? When you inhale the solution, it will work better if you line down, and tilt your head back. Take your time, and release the solution a little bit at a time...at least over 5 minutes, and maybe as many as 10 minutes. And what if I told you that this has already been attempted in a clinical trial, and the improvements measured were clinically significant? There’s only one problem ...

On June, 18, 2019, I spent 21 hours making 3000 3-point baskets to raise money for Parkinson’s Si Buko Uganda, a non-profit creating awareness and serving local community needs. This video provides highlights of the effort. Basketball Therapy & Self-Discovery The words below convey how it feels when I’m playin’ ball.  For me, it’s about love. As life's expanse slowly narrows, I do more of the things I love and less of the things I don’t. Exercising my Love for Playing I love to play; some call this exercise. Exercise must be this, they say. Exercise must be that.  Here are ...

Last week, I spent the week at PD Summer School, a full week of Parkinson’s wellness education. Dr. Laurie Mischley has spent the last 2 decades studying lifestyle and nutrition factors associated with either slower (better) or faster (worse) progression of Parkinson’s disease. The goal is to identify and implement positive deviance strategies that can be used to slow Parkinson’s disease progression ...

Trends in PD research are showing that in addition to Parkinson’s impact on the neurotransmitter dopamine and the dopamingeric system, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and the brain’s cholingeric system are also impacted. This post reviews recent research (and some very old research that may need to be revisited), and discusses how two vitamins/supplements (Vitamin B12 and Citicoline/CDP Choline) may impact Parkinson’s disease. This should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your doctors and pharmacist about any vitamins or supplements that you are taking or considering. Related: Exhibit A: Yale Study challenges assumptions about PD and acetylcholine Several weeks ago, a ...

Restless Legs Syndrome and Parkinson’s disease have interesting dopamine connections. Some Parkinson’s pain may actually be restless legs or arms. Could changes in RLS treatment over the past few years be relevant to getting a good night’s sleep with PD? To those unfamiliar with the condition, the terminology "Restless Legs" makes it difficult to accept as the serious condition that it is. Whenever I hear the term Restless Legs Syndrome, my brain thinks "ants in my pants". I picture myself back in elementary school, being forced to sit at a desk, when I’d rather be running around outside.  That is far from ...

How Parkinson’s gave me a better long-range jumper, a better baseball throwing arm, and a better outlook on life! I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over a decade ago. I was 38. Parkinson’s is chronic, degenerative, and without a cure. Yet, over the last several years I’ve steadily improved my basketball and baseball games, deeply learning my capabilities in the process. Oh, and I also found both peace and purpose through Parkinson’s somewhere along the way! Parkinson’s is a neurological condition with full-body consequences. Most people’s Parkinson's troubles are movement-related. Some are most troubled by what’s referred to as non-motor ...

An article about an exercise research study prompted me to partially rethink my Parkinson’s Disease exercise philosophy. Exercise intensity may slow Parkinson’s progression, but in the long run, exercise sustainability is essential to a better quality of life ...

It began with a gut feeling. Every week, another study provides insight into the gut-brain connection, and the possibility that Parkinson’s disease begins in the gut. What does this mean? ...

What if there’s a way to ensure Parkinson’s never has control over us again? Is this possible? The mind is often our biggest enemy. Alternatively, it can be trained to serve... The thing with Parkinson’s is the loss of control - the slow, constant erosion of execution of our will, and resulting deferral to Parkinson’s. We want to move easily. We can’t. We want to be pain-free. We’re not. We want to sleep well. We don’t. We want to connect with the people around us. We won’t. Controlling Our Own Suffering. When we control our suffering, as opposed to letting suffering ...

Is pain a symptom of Parkinson’s? Or do the motor symptoms of PD directly or indirectly cause pain? Or is pain a symptom of something else? Arthritis? Aging? Or is pain a result of lack of exercise? Over exercise? Improper exercise form? Improper exercise instruction? Some combination of factors? Those are interesting questions, but more importantly does pain contribute to the severity of other Parkinson’s symptoms? ...

This presentation explains some concepts regarding exercise for Parkinson's Disease, explaining how exercise intensity is measured and why it matters, and the concepts of vigorous intensity exercise and forced exercise ...

Parkinson's disease disrupts rhythm. And sometimes PD obliterates rhythm, battering it beyond recognition. But, we don't have to accept it this way. Working to maintain mind-body connections is well worth the effort ... if you call music, dance, sports, games, or the like, effort. I'm learning every day, but I'm grateful to be able to share my approach to coping with PD as of today. Today, now, is all I really have. I hope this video somehow helps ease your Parkinson's burden: ...