My Parkinson Story is a weekly column featuring member of our community, sharing their stories with PD. We are interested in sharing a wide array of experiences, including yours! PD looks different in everyone, and affects everyone differently, including friends and family of those with PD. If you’d like to share your story on our blog, please email us.
“Live as if you will die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi
Why, you ask, do I start with this quote from Gandhi? Because this is the way I try to live my life now. Did I start this way? No. In 2018, I was experiencing memory issues; I couldn’t remember what happened the day before or memories from a few years back. For 10 years I had experienced REM sleep disorders. My sleep doctor recommended me to Dr Rhonna Shatz, a UC neurologist. She diagnosed me with a form of Parkinson’s Disease in 2019. I was shocked, depressed, angry, embarrassed: all of the emotions that most PD patients experience. And I was totally uninformed about the disease. So my scientific and research training as a PhD Pharmacologist/Toxicologist kicked in and I began to learn more about Parkinson’s Disease, the treatments, the prognosis and what I could do to make my life better. I am fortunate to have a good neurologist who advised me on the importance of physical and mental exercise, and socialization.
Education: So step 1 for me was to learn more. There are so many wonderful and informative resources available to PD patients. Parkinson Wellness and Support and University of Cincinnati offer a variety of educational resources including seminars. I have attended a number of excellent zoom seminars sponsored by Parkinson & Movement Disorders (PMD) and the Davis Phinney Foundation. I was asked to serve on the grant review committee for PSW which exposed me to the many regional organizations that offer assistance and education for PD patients.
Physical Exercise: I immediately enrolled in a boxing class (Neurofit Gym) after I was diagnosed, where I have improved my core strength and balance. My wife and I began walking 2-5 miles a day during Covid. I have participated in Steady Strides the last two years and this summer I am also doing aquatic exercises in our neighborhood pool. Keeping my body moving has helped with the rigidity that I had begun to experience in addition to improving balance and gait.
Mental Exercise and Socialization: My boxing instructor also has mind games that exercise our brains. I also do crossword and jigsaw puzzles, read several novels a week and keep as mentally active as possible. For three and a half years, I was on the board of our HOA and am now chairman of the finance committee. My wife and I, and two other couples, have started a support group for other PD patients and their caregivers. So interaction with others in a similar situation has established strong social bonds.
All of these steps have reaped rewards for me. Last week at my annual neurological checkup, my cognitive and physical parameters had actually improved over my first visit. This may not work for everyone, but I am a firm believer that the more you learn and the more you do, the better you will feel. So I leave you with this final quote: “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” Anton Chekhov