April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month and this Thursday, April 11th, is World Parkinson’s Day. This year, our cycling group at the YMCA decided to do something to increase awareness of PD. We are moving our usual Thursday Pedaling for Parkinson’s class from from the cycling class room to the lobby of the Y. We have invited all of the local neurologists and Movement Disorder Specialists,along with local Parkinson’s groups and the media to come and see what Pedaling for PD is all about. So if you are in the Sarasota area this week, stop by the Evalyn Sadlier Jones YMCA at 8301 Potter Park Dr at 10am to see Pedaling for Parkinson’s in action.
Those of you who have been following this blog for very long know that I feel that this program has slowed the progression of my PD. When I miss a class or two I have seen a noticeable change in the time my medication lasts. The medication seems to wear off sooner than usual and take longer to ‘kick in’ after I take a new dose. I know I have pushed exercise over and over in this blog but I can’t emphasize it enough. There are many opportunities to exercise besides cycling or playing tennis – you just need to find one you like (or dislike the least) and stick with it for a month and see if you don’t agree, exercise is the key ingredient to fight PD.
Speaking of medication, I was doing great on the new regime of two Rytary and 1/2 a tablet of Mirapex 5 times a day until a couple of weeks ago when it suddenly stopped working so well. I would take the 1st dose of the day and it worked perfectly but when I took the second dose it would sometimes have the opposite effect, causing me to walk slowly with limited arm movement as though I was completely unmedicated. This would last up to 2 hours and then I experienced “wearing on” instead of wearing off as the meds finally kicked in.
So I emailed my Dr and while waiting for his response did what many of us do, researched the internet for other people who have experienced the same effect and then started experimenting with different dosages and the timing of the dose. I am getting pretty good results reducing the Rytary to 1 for doses 2 and 4 but I will keep you posted as this saga continues. In the meantime today my ninety day supply of meds arrived, I need a shelf just for the Rytary 😀
Well maybe it should read Happy Chinese New Year! It’s February already and I’m just getting to my first post for the new year! I hope everyone had a great holiday season. We had a great time with family over the Christmas/New Year holiday which included a trip to Disney World to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
During the busy holiday season, we tried to keep up with our exercise schedule, cycling two days a week, playing as much tennis as possible and attending the Dance for PD class every week. I continue to enjoy playing tennis and even played in a men’s double tournament here in our community finishing in the middle of the pack.
January included a visit to my Neurologist. While I am doing well I was noticing that my medication wearing OFF anywhere from 30 – 60 minutes before the next dose, particularly when the next dose occurred while I was exercising. We discussed two options, change the timing so I would take more Sinemet or try Rytary, an extended release version of Levodopa/Carbidopa.
We decided to try the Rytary and I was given a sample to take once a day in the morning for a week. After the initial week I found that ON time was at least 30 – 60 minutes longer and some days I noticed no wearing off at all between doses.
So I reported my findings back to my Doctor and we decided to go ‘full bore’ and replace my Sinemet tablets with the Rytary on a every 4 hour schedule. So far I am happy with the results with only occasional OFF periods, usually because I didn’t take them on schedule 🙂 I’ll keep you posted as I continue this new regimen.
On the research front, if you are interested what’s coming up in 2019, I highly recommend you read “The Road Ahead: Parkinson’s Research in 2019” by Simon Stott over at the Science of PD blog. He expects that several clinical trials will have some data to report during the year and several promising projects will start. Click here to read.
One last note, I have added a link on the website to a document I prepared recently for a friend of a friend who had just been diagnosed with PD. It contains my thoughts about what to do after that initial diagnoses, lots of links to sites I like, and my thoughts / recommendations about exercise, finding a Movement Disorder Specialist, etc. Click on the link in the Now What? box at the top right to view, print or download.
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
Yep, as you can tell by the title, this a catch up post lightly touching on many topics. For various reasons, it has been tough to find time for writing but I have a chance today so will try to cover all of these topics (and maybe more) in this post. Let’s get started!
Rallying to the Challenge – 2018
As you might recall from my last post, we had just attended the Grand Challenges in PD meeting in Grand Rapids MI. This is a two day meeting that brings together scientists, clinicians and people with Parkinson’s to explore the latest in Parkinson’s disease research. The meeting is hosted by the Van Andel Research Institute and includes a parallel meeting for PwP’s hosted by Van Andel and The Cure Parkinson’s Trust. This is one of the few meetings that brings us all together and gives the Parkinson’s community a chance to provide input impacting ongoing and planned research. Even better, we got to say hello to many old friends while making many new friends as the meeting progressed. At the end of the meeting, the Cure Parkinson’s Trust presented the Tom Isaacs Award to two outstanding individuals, Professor Bas Bloem of the Netherlands who founded ParkinsonNet, an innovative PD care program and Simon Stott, who publishes the Science of PD Blog about current research in PD which I have mentioned in previous posts.
It was a great meeting and you can read more about it here and here. Next year’s meeting is set for August 21 and 22 in case you would like to attend, click here for more information.
Parkinson’s Movement Website
The Cure Parkinson’s Trust sponsors the Parkinson’s Movement website which is maintained by PwP’s for PwP’s. This website has recently had a total makeover and I highly recommend you add it to your list of sites to visit on a regular basis. The site has information about on going research and provides opportunities to get involved in research or share your insights. They have a section called Hype vs Hope where they ‘fact check’ recent news stories, claims of a cure, etc. They also have have a large list of PD advocates listed along with their country of residence, the topics they advocate for and other information. Check it out here.
Care Partners Month
November is National Care Partners Month and I know that you, like me, are thankful for your care partner(s) everyday of the year. But this is a good time to remind you and your care partner that there are a lot of resources available for care partners including the Caring and Coping guide written for care partners for any stage of PD and available for the Parkinson’s Foundation. You can download a copy or order a paper copy here
Giving Tuesday
Tuesday the 27th is Giving Tuesday. This is a great opportunity to make a donation to your favorite charity and, in many cases, have it matched. For example, after successfully raising one million dollars last year, the Michael J Fox Foundation is shooting to raise two million dollars this year with every donation matched by anonymous donors. Many other charities have similar opportunities on Tuesday, so scrape the bottom of your pocket book or wallet after Black Friday and Cyber Monday and help us find a cure for PD or the charity of your choice.
(And Maybe More)
Ben Stecher who writes the Tomorrow Edition blog has started a 9 part series about the Search for a Cure. The first part was just published and can be viewed here. Ben has traveled the world interviewing researchers, medical professionals and others about what they are doing and what the impact might be on the search for a cure, what the cure might look like and when it might happen. So, another recommendation, sign up to follow Ben’s blog and his search for the cure.
Dr Ray Dorsey at the University of Rochester in New York is conducting a web based study to see if using a computer with a webcam and microphone will provide sufficient information for patient followup. The entire study is web based and takes about 10 – 15 minutes. It requires a computer with webcam and the Chrome browser but it is quick and easy and a chance for you to participate in a clinical trial without leaving your house. You can get more information and participate in the trial at this website.
OK that wraps it up for this post. I hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday!
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
And I’m back! I noticed that I didn’t mention anything in the last post about how my buddy Parkinson’s and I are getting along. Things are pretty much stable, still some arm stiffness and shuffling when I walk and the occasional balance problem. I don’t have the sticky feet problem nearly as often nor the internal tremors so, all in all, things are OK.
As I have noted before, I follow many other blogs, websites, and Twitter accounts related to Parkinson’s, probably close to 50 if I took the time to count them all. I have been planning to add a page with the list of who I follow to this blog and maybe that will happen one of these days soon, but remember, apathy is a non-motor symptom so don’t hold your breath. 🙂
One of the blogs I follow is Tremors in the Universe written by Robert Baittie. In a recent post, Chapter 36 Whistle while you twerk, he talks about another symptom of PD, micrographia and from there he… well here, I’ll let you read it yourself picking up where he defines micrographia:
“The symptom as it appears in association with Parkinson’s disease is called micrographia, and in handwriting or penmanship is characterized by abnormally small, cramped handwriting and/or the progression to continually smaller handwriting. It’s cause, according to the National Parkinson’s Foundation is attributed to a common feature of PD which is a slowing of movement, and feelings of muscle stiffness in the hands and fingers. Loss of automatic motion also affects the easy, flowing motion of handwriting. This can impact even simple writing taskssuch as signing your name.”
“Which started me thinking.”
“Parkinson’s disease is named after the English doctor James Parkinson, who published the first detailed description in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817.”
“In 1817”.
“Might there be any signatures of record prior to 1817 that show signs of a typical Parkinson’s style of writing?”
“Of what importance was that to me? Well my entire attitude around my diagnosis of Parkinson’s has been about succeeding with the disease and having and maintaining a positive attitude towards dealing with it. I was curious if there might be individuals who had continued to achieve and possibly even made a mark in history while in the midst of dealing with PD? At a time when they didn’t have today’s technology, support and treatments. Obviously this was all pure speculation because prior to 1817 it was not classified or known as Parkinson’s. But I was curious none the less.”
“The first thing I did was to Google micrographia thinking I might find a visual example of the malady that I could use for comparison to any earlier documents I might come across. And sure enough, in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia a writing example of a Parkinson’s patient.” “The next step was to begin searching documents prior to 1817 that might offer a similar writing style”.
“Now I was not going to go about this by pure happenstance, on the contrary, I had a hunch and I had definite place in mind to start. There was one document in particular I wanted to take a look at. And sure enough my hunch or maybe I should say my “intuition” was correct.”
Stephen Hopkins
“Here was my individual of notoriety that I felt had that characteristic signature at a time when the flourish of stylized and ornate signatures and penmanship were the art form of the day.”
“Here was a man among men. Stephen Hopkins. Born in 1707 and died in 1785 at the age of 78. He came from a prominent Rhode Island family and most definitely left his mark upon a nation. Not only did my initial examination of the document serve to heighten my belief, but further readings of his biography removed all doubt. His own admission was proof enough for me.”
“In the summer of 1776, while holding his right hand with his left, saying, “although my hand trembles, my heart does not” Stephen Hopkins, a Rhode Island delegate to the First Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence.”
“It gave me tremendous pause to sit and look at that Declaration of Independence and those signatures and to think about the thoughts that must have been going through Stephen Hopkins mind. Not only could I imagine he had a sense of uncertainty and fear for what the future held for our new country at that time, but he was simultaneously dealing with the uncertainty of and concern for his own health. He held the same questions in his mind then about his health, that millions still hold to this day. What is causing this? What can be done?”
“And as I reread those simple words of Stephen Hopkins, a number of thoughts came to mind. First, I felt a tremendous amount of respect for the man because he was not afraid to share with his friends and colleagues the disease that afflicted him. Especially at a time when there was no explanation he could offer for what ailed him. He openly called attention to and acknowledged his tremor and in doing so said he was not ashamed of it. Second was that he had not allowed his tremor or the disease to limit him. He had continued on with his passion for his work. But most profoundly to me was the double meaning I took from the words as a whole. While obviously in one context he is referring to our young nation and “though his hand trembles” while signing this Declaration of Independence “his heart does not” because he believes this to be the right direction for his country, the other context it speaks to for me is the disease of Parkinson’s itself. The words make the analogy of how I have felt all along. “Although my hand trembles, my heart does not.” It’s that strange sense of the positive and knowing that although I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, everything I feel in my heart tells me there is nothing to fear and I will be alright. That I can and will deal with whatever it brings me.”
“Over 230 years later since the documents signing technology is most definitely moving at a rapid pace, and the research being done toward finding a cure for Parkinson’s is as well. But to continue that work and to hasten the success, additional funding is always needed. Volunteers and Foundations continue to spearhead the vast majority of the fundraising efforts but more needs to be done.”
“Given that, I find it extremely ironic that this would be the example of the signature I would find. A statesmen, a member of the First Continental Congress. Because additional support and funding from our government is what is needed to keep progress moving forward and ultimately finding a cure. And so I would like to ask everyone reading this to take the opportunity to write your Congressman with a steady hand to request that they show the heart of our founding fathers and support increased funding for Parkinson’s research. (emphasis added)
Reblog it. ReTweet it. Do it for your self. Or someone you love.
To find out what prompted Robert to research micrographia, read the complete post of Chapter 36 here. I think you will find it interesting and I highly recommend reading some or all of his other ‘Chapters’.
What a great statement “although my hand tremors, my heart does not” and as the Michael J Fox Foundation says “Our challenges don’t define us. Our actions do” We can and will deal with whatever Parkinson’s throws at us on our way to finding a cure.
I also agree that we need to continue to urge Congress to support increased funding for Parkinson’s research. In that vein,the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) is sponsoring a Parkinson’s Day of Action on February 26th. They ask that you contact your Representatives and ask for their support. They have provided information here on how to contact your representatives, some sample statements you can use and links to why we need more funding for research. I urge you to join me and PAN on Wednesday, February 26th and contact your Congressional Representatives.
As I write this post, we are watching it snow as we are under another winter storm warning for the next couple of days, just hoping it clears up here and in Atlanta by Friday so we can start our trip to what I hope is a warm Florida. We are looking forward to the trip and a chance to meet up with a couple that we met during the Kripalu retreat. ‘See’ you next week.
And I’m back! I noticed that I didn’t mention anything in the last post about how my buddy Parkinson’s and I are getting along. Things are pretty much stable, still some arm stiffness and shuffling when I walk and the occasional balance problem. I don’t have the sticky feet problem nearly as often nor the internal tremors so, all in all, things are OK.
As I have noted before, I follow many other blogs, websites, and Twitter accounts related to Parkinson’s, probably close to 50 if I took the time to count them all. I have been planning to add a page with the list of who I follow to this blog and maybe that will happen one of these days soon, but remember, apathy is a non-motor symptom so don’t hold your breath. 🙂
One of the blogs I follow is Tremors in the Universe written by Robert Baittie. In a recent post, Chapter 36 Whistle while you twerk, he talks about another symptom of PD, micrographia and from there he… well here, I’ll let you read it yourself picking up where he defines micrographia:
“The symptom as it appears in association with Parkinson’s disease is called micrographia, and in handwriting or penmanship is characterized by abnormally small, cramped handwriting and/or the progression to continually smaller handwriting. It’s cause, according to the National Parkinson’s Foundation is attributed to a common feature of PD which is a slowing of movement, and feelings of muscle stiffness in the hands and fingers. Loss of automatic motion also affects the easy, flowing motion of handwriting. This can impact even simple writing taskssuch as signing your name.”
“Which started me thinking.”
“Parkinson’s disease is named after the English doctor James Parkinson, who published the first detailed description in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817.”
“In 1817”.
“Might there be any signatures of record prior to 1817 that show signs of a typical Parkinson’s style of writing?”
“Of what importance was that to me? Well my entire attitude around my diagnosis of Parkinson’s has been about succeeding with the disease and having and maintaining a positive attitude towards dealing with it. I was curious if there might be individuals who had continued to achieve and possibly even made a mark in history while in the midst of dealing with PD? At a time when they didn’t have today’s technology, support and treatments. Obviously this was all pure speculation because prior to 1817 it was not classified or known as Parkinson’s. But I was curious none the less.”
“The first thing I did was to Google micrographia thinking I might find a visual example of the malady that I could use for comparison to any earlier documents I might come across. And sure enough, in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia a writing example of a Parkinson’s patient.” “The next step was to begin searching documents prior to 1817 that might offer a similar writing style”.
“Now I was not going to go about this by pure happenstance, on the contrary, I had a hunch and I had definite place in mind to start. There was one document in particular I wanted to take a look at. And sure enough my hunch or maybe I should say my “intuition” was correct.”
Stephen Hopkins
“Here was my individual of notoriety that I felt had that characteristic signature at a time when the flourish of stylized and ornate signatures and penmanship were the art form of the day.”
“Here was a man among men. Stephen Hopkins. Born in 1707 and died in 1785 at the age of 78. He came from a prominent Rhode Island family and most definitely left his mark upon a nation. Not only did my initial examination of the document serve to heighten my belief, but further readings of his biography removed all doubt. His own admission was proof enough for me.”
“In the summer of 1776, while holding his right hand with his left, saying, “although my hand trembles, my heart does not” Stephen Hopkins, a Rhode Island delegate to the First Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence.”
“It gave me tremendous pause to sit and look at that Declaration of Independence and those signatures and to think about the thoughts that must have been going through Stephen Hopkins mind. Not only could I imagine he had a sense of uncertainty and fear for what the future held for our new country at that time, but he was simultaneously dealing with the uncertainty of and concern for his own health. He held the same questions in his mind then about his health, that millions still hold to this day. What is causing this? What can be done?”
“And as I reread those simple words of Stephen Hopkins, a number of thoughts came to mind. First, I felt a tremendous amount of respect for the man because he was not afraid to share with his friends and colleagues the disease that afflicted him. Especially at a time when there was no explanation he could offer for what ailed him. He openly called attention to and acknowledged his tremor and in doing so said he was not ashamed of it. Second was that he had not allowed his tremor or the disease to limit him. He had continued on with his passion for his work. But most profoundly to me was the double meaning I took from the words as a whole. While obviously in one context he is referring to our young nation and “though his hand trembles” while signing this Declaration of Independence “his heart does not” because he believes this to be the right direction for his country, the other context it speaks to for me is the disease of Parkinson’s itself. The words make the analogy of how I have felt all along. “Although my hand trembles, my heart does not.” It’s that strange sense of the positive and knowing that although I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, everything I feel in my heart tells me there is nothing to fear and I will be alright. That I can and will deal with whatever it brings me.”
“Over 230 years later since the documents signing technology is most definitely moving at a rapid pace, and the research being done toward finding a cure for Parkinson’s is as well. But to continue that work and to hasten the success, additional funding is always needed. Volunteers and Foundations continue to spearhead the vast majority of the fundraising efforts but more needs to be done.”
“Given that, I find it extremely ironic that this would be the example of the signature I would find. A statesmen, a member of the First Continental Congress. Because additional support and funding from our government is what is needed to keep progress moving forward and ultimately finding a cure. And so I would like to ask everyone reading this to take the opportunity to write your Congressman with a steady hand to request that they show the heart of our founding fathers and support increased funding for Parkinson’s research. (emphasis added)
Reblog it. ReTweet it. Do it for your self. Or someone you love.
To find out what prompted Robert to research micrographia, read the complete post of Chapter 36 here. I think you will find it interesting and I highly recommend reading some or all of his other ‘Chapters’.
What a great statement “although my hand tremors, my heart does not” and as the Michael J Fox Foundation says “Our challenges don’t define us. Our actions do” We can and will deal with whatever Parkinson’s throws at us on our way to finding a cure.
I also agree that we need to continue to urge Congress to support increased funding for Parkinson’s research. In that vein,the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) is sponsoring a Parkinson’s Day of Action on February 26th. They ask that you contact your Representatives and ask for their support. They have provided information here on how to contact your representatives, some sample statements you can use and links to why we need more funding for research. I urge you to join me and PAN on Wednesday, February 26th and contact your Congressional Representatives.
As I write this post, we are watching it snow as we are under another winter storm warning for the next couple of days, just hoping it clears up here and in Atlanta by Friday so we can start our trip to what I hope is a warm Florida. We are looking forward to the trip and a chance to meet up with a couple that we met during the Kripalu retreat. ‘See’ you next week.
And I’m back! I noticed that I didn’t mention anything in the last post about how my buddy Parkinson’s and I are getting along. Things are pretty much stable, still some arm stiffness and shuffling when I walk and the occasional balance problem. I don’t have the sticky feet problem nearly as often nor the internal tremors so, all in all, things are OK.
As I have noted before, I follow many other blogs, websites, and Twitter accounts related to Parkinson’s, probably close to 50 if I took the time to count them all. I have been planning to add a page with the list of who I follow to this blog and maybe that will happen one of these days soon, but remember, apathy is a non-motor symptom so don’t hold your breath. 🙂
One of the blogs I follow is Tremors in the Universe written by Robert Baittie. In a recent post, Chapter 36 Whistle while you twerk, he talks about another symptom of PD, micrographia and from there he… well here, I’ll let you read it yourself picking up where he defines micrographia:
“The symptom as it appears in association with Parkinson’s disease is called micrographia, and in handwriting or penmanship is characterized by abnormally small, cramped handwriting and/or the progression to continually smaller handwriting. It’s cause, according to the National Parkinson’s Foundation is attributed to a common feature of PD which is a slowing of movement, and feelings of muscle stiffness in the hands and fingers. Loss of automatic motion also affects the easy, flowing motion of handwriting. This can impact even simple writing taskssuch as signing your name.”
“Which started me thinking.”
“Parkinson’s disease is named after the English doctor James Parkinson, who published the first detailed description in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817.”
“In 1817”.
“Might there be any signatures of record prior to 1817 that show signs of a typical Parkinson’s style of writing?”
“Of what importance was that to me? Well my entire attitude around my diagnosis of Parkinson’s has been about succeeding with the disease and having and maintaining a positive attitude towards dealing with it. I was curious if there might be individuals who had continued to achieve and possibly even made a mark in history while in the midst of dealing with PD? At a time when they didn’t have today’s technology, support and treatments. Obviously this was all pure speculation because prior to 1817 it was not classified or known as Parkinson’s. But I was curious none the less.”
“The first thing I did was to Google micrographia thinking I might find a visual example of the malady that I could use for comparison to any earlier documents I might come across. And sure enough, in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia a writing example of a Parkinson’s patient.” “The next step was to begin searching documents prior to 1817 that might offer a similar writing style”.
“Now I was not going to go about this by pure happenstance, on the contrary, I had a hunch and I had definite place in mind to start. There was one document in particular I wanted to take a look at. And sure enough my hunch or maybe I should say my “intuition” was correct.”
Stephen Hopkins
“Here was my individual of notoriety that I felt had that characteristic signature at a time when the flourish of stylized and ornate signatures and penmanship were the art form of the day.”
“Here was a man among men. Stephen Hopkins. Born in 1707 and died in 1785 at the age of 78. He came from a prominent Rhode Island family and most definitely left his mark upon a nation. Not only did my initial examination of the document serve to heighten my belief, but further readings of his biography removed all doubt. His own admission was proof enough for me.”
“In the summer of 1776, while holding his right hand with his left, saying, “although my hand trembles, my heart does not” Stephen Hopkins, a Rhode Island delegate to the First Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence.”
“It gave me tremendous pause to sit and look at that Declaration of Independence and those signatures and to think about the thoughts that must have been going through Stephen Hopkins mind. Not only could I imagine he had a sense of uncertainty and fear for what the future held for our new country at that time, but he was simultaneously dealing with the uncertainty of and concern for his own health. He held the same questions in his mind then about his health, that millions still hold to this day. What is causing this? What can be done?”
“And as I reread those simple words of Stephen Hopkins, a number of thoughts came to mind. First, I felt a tremendous amount of respect for the man because he was not afraid to share with his friends and colleagues the disease that afflicted him. Especially at a time when there was no explanation he could offer for what ailed him. He openly called attention to and acknowledged his tremor and in doing so said he was not ashamed of it. Second was that he had not allowed his tremor or the disease to limit him. He had continued on with his passion for his work. But most profoundly to me was the double meaning I took from the words as a whole. While obviously in one context he is referring to our young nation and “though his hand trembles” while signing this Declaration of Independence “his heart does not” because he believes this to be the right direction for his country, the other context it speaks to for me is the disease of Parkinson’s itself. The words make the analogy of how I have felt all along. “Although my hand trembles, my heart does not.” It’s that strange sense of the positive and knowing that although I have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, everything I feel in my heart tells me there is nothing to fear and I will be alright. That I can and will deal with whatever it brings me.”
“Over 230 years later since the documents signing technology is most definitely moving at a rapid pace, and the research being done toward finding a cure for Parkinson’s is as well. But to continue that work and to hasten the success, additional funding is always needed. Volunteers and Foundations continue to spearhead the vast majority of the fundraising efforts but more needs to be done.”
“Given that, I find it extremely ironic that this would be the example of the signature I would find. A statesmen, a member of the First Continental Congress. Because additional support and funding from our government is what is needed to keep progress moving forward and ultimately finding a cure. And so I would like to ask everyone reading this to take the opportunity to write your Congressman with a steady hand to request that they show the heart of our founding fathers and support increased funding for Parkinson’s research. (emphasis added)
Reblog it. ReTweet it. Do it for your self. Or someone you love.
To find out what prompted Robert to research micrographia, read the complete post of Chapter 36 here. I think you will find it interesting and I highly recommend reading some or all of his other ‘Chapters’.
What a great statement “although my hand tremors, my heart does not” and as the Michael J Fox Foundation says “Our challenges don’t define us. Our actions do” We can and will deal with whatever Parkinson’s throws at us on our way to finding a cure.
I also agree that we need to continue to urge Congress to support increased funding for Parkinson’s research. In that vein,the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) is sponsoring a Parkinson’s Day of Action on February 26th. They ask that you contact your Representatives and ask for their support. They have provided information here on how to contact your representatives, some sample statements you can use and links to why we need more funding for research. I urge you to join me and PAN on Wednesday, February 26th and contact your Congressional Representatives.
As I write this post, we are watching it snow as we are under another winter storm warning for the next couple of days, just hoping it clears up here and in Atlanta by Friday so we can start our trip to what I hope is a warm Florida. We are looking forward to the trip and a chance to meet up with a couple that we met during the Kripalu retreat. ‘See’ you next week.
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