A New Chapter: Facing Parkinson’s with Hope and Resilience
In late 2022, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. While it wasn’t the news I expected, it brought clarity after months of uncertainty.
Dear Friends and Family: I thought it was time to let everyone know that late in 2022 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Not the news I longed to hear, but knowing what I was dealing with was a relief after months of doctor visits and tests to determine a cause of my symptoms.
Parkinson’s is a chronic, degenerative, incurable disease that researchers have yet to find a cause for, although signs seem to point to environmental toxins. It’s the world’s fastest growing neurological disease, and I have no family history of it.
Symptoms start gradually and worsen over time and include both motor and non-motor symptoms. Mine started with seemingly minor issues; things like buttoning buttons, handwriting, and brushing my teeth (yay for electric toothbrushes!). I have none of the symptoms most closely identified with PD, such as tremors or halting movement but as the disease progresses over the next 5-10 years those are likely to pay a visit.
There is currently no cure, and front-line medications can minimize the symptoms but can’t slow down the disease progression. The main line of defense are things I should be doing anyway: Vigorous exercise, healthy diet, lots of rest, stress reduction. Since I don’t have the resources to permanently relocate to a Malibu spa (!), I’m engaging as best I can on those fronts, in an effort to keep the disease at bay and to minimize the use of medications, all of which come with unpleasant side effects.
The disease is a lot to manage but so far, it’s manageable. Therefore, I plan to continue working, playing and living my best life. I also plan on getting more active in the Parkinson’s community and to champion research efforts which one day, hopefully soon, will deliver a cure.
I am grateful to have an amazing care team in place, including most importantly my family, friends and medical professionals. This is not a battle to fight alone, and I’m humbled by the care and concern I’ve received from those with whom I’ve shared my diagnosis.
Since I believe in transparency and clearing up misunderstandings about what the disease is and isn’t, I’ll continue to share parts of my journey, including health updates, promising research developments and some Parkinson’s humor. (You gotta laugh, after all!). I am prepared for the long fight and truly appreciate your support and well wishes. I may have Parkinson’s, but it doesn’t have me!
Love you all
About Paul
If you've navigated the complexities of love, loss, or life's unpredictable twists and turns, this blog is for you. Paul, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2022 and lost his beloved Jody in 2024, is also a father, new grandfather and a speaker/writer. Paul writes to make sense of the world around him, sharing his personal journey through grief, Parkinson’s, and life's challenges. With a mix of lightheartedness, thoughtfulness, and unwavering authenticity, Paul offers a relatable and heartfelt perspective on the human experience. His writing is often described as warm, genuine and deeply moving.