In this video, Stan Wedel speaks about his Parkinson’s diagnosis and things he’s learned about living well with PD.
Stan Wedel
Stan is 67 years old and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in January 2012. Currently retired, he last worked as Chief of Staff for the Texas Department of insurance. Prior to that, he held the position of Deputy Attorney General for Administration at The Texas Office of Attorney General, which included oversight of the Budget and Accounting, Information Technology, Human Resources, and State Child Support Enforcement divisions. Before he joined the Attorney General’s Office, he was the Deputy Comptroller for Administration for the Texas State Comptroller’s Office, overseeing the Budget and Accounting, Information Technology, Human Resources, and State Revenue Estimating divisions.
Stan’s current medications include Sinemet, Pramipexole, Lexapro, Losartan, and Hydrochlorothiazide.
Prior to being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Stan was in good health and fairly athletic. One of his first signs that something was wrong was that his arm quit swinging when he walked. A little later, he began shuffling his feet, so he went to his doctor (primary care) who referred him to a neurologist.
He lives with his wife of eight years (Ann); they have no children and no pets. Stan still drives and walks without an assistive device. He is currently independent with all activities of daily living. He works out five days a week, with workouts consisting of strength and balance, yoga, and boxing, and he believes that the key to keeping Parkinson’s at bay is exercise. His minor physical deficits (which he calls nuisances) include buttoning buttons, small writing, bending over and standing up quickly, and walking in crowded spaces.
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Photo: Ann Bright