Living Well
On Tires and Tests: Doing What You Can Do
The four of us have just left Frankie’s house and gotten on MoPac Expressway when we hear it: thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump…
A Letter to My Daughter on Determination
I often think back to that spring day in 2017, when you were nine and I had not yet told you about my having Parkinson’s disease; hardly anyone knew.
Living Less Urgently with Parkinson’s Disease
Lately, I feel the need to make what’s left of my life less urgent.
On ‘Embracing the Suck’ with Parkinson’s Disease
Brené’s genius is that she recognizes that most of us live with pervasive shame, which ultimately quells our courage and prevents the kind of vulnerability that offers more joy.
Sex and Chronic Illness: Letting Worlds Collide
One thing that never has to change is our dedication to our total selves...
On the Clock: A Parkinson’s Perspective
Having Parkinson’s tempts you to become a timekeeper if not a clock-watcher.
The Two Brothers of Parkinson’s
Recently I’ve come to know the two brothers of Parkinson’s, although I can’t say that I have been pleased to make their acquaintance.
The Iliad and the Albatross: On Foolish Optimism, Humility, and Heating Pads
Some of us who may seem, on the surface, to have it all figured out don’t.
Two Questions for Those Living with Parkinson’s (and Anyone Else)
Life changes with a chronic illness, but a life with Parkinson’s is still a life.
Getting to Grateful with Parkinson’s
I think a lot about gratitude these days.
Spelling Matters: Coping with a Recent Parkinson’s Diagnosis
PD arrives with its own set of hard choices and challenges—and its own set of nuanced and nurturing rewards.
Telling Your Parkinson’s Story
In this video, Jimmy Choi reflects on the importance of creating your own story with Parkinson's disease and of sharing it with others.
On A More Authentic Love: How Parkinson’s is Changing Me
It seems safe to say that I will not realize my dream to pitch for the Houston Astros.
Parkinson’s, Unfinished Spaces, and Spiritual Things
As with any chronic illness, Parkinson’s makes us journeyers. Against our will, it grabs us, disorients us, and places us on a path of discovery.
Brooklyn, Central Park, and the Bird: Three Years with Parkinson’s
When I return to New York in a couple of weeks to run my own marathon, I expect to form new and less gap-filled memories.
The Man at the Lake
I see him just after sunrise most Sunday mornings, when I run at the lake.
Talking Myself Into Hope
One new way of seeing things comes to me in a dream.
On Wearing Masks, Needing Each Other, and the Importance of Beginnings
“The beginning in every task is the chief thing.”--Plato
Five Questions for Heather Kennedy
Recently, Heather sat down with PD Wise to speak about her experience of living with Parkinsons.
Five Questions for Allison Toepperwien
I would say the most significant challenge is overcoming people’s perceptions of me, before they get to know me.
From “Why?” to “So What?”—Thoughts on Illness and Other Painful Experiences
Painful experiences inevitably prompt us to ask questions, and especially questions of why?
Sharing Struggles, Offering Encouragement, and Making Connections through Radio
I focus on living my life to the fullest in spite of the challenges this disease presents.
Humanizing Parkinson’s with Humor
“There are forms of humor that escape pain, and there are forms of humor that transfigure pain.”