Some of you may be familiar with Dr. Laurie K Mischley from Bastyr University in Seattle. She has a medical degree in Naturopathic Medicine and specializes in the nutritional requirements for neuro degenerative disorders. She has spent over 10 years working with PD patients and has a clinical trial going on regarding Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in PD where participants (I have been one since 8/2014) complete a series of surveys every 6 months to report the status and progression of their PD and we also compete a 24 hour food diary. She has presented programs at the World Parkinson’s Congress and other research meetings and she is considered an expert in the nutritional needs of PD patients.

In addition to seeing patients and conducting research, Laurie also hosts a week long Parkinson’s Summer School at Baystr and she is now offering PD School 2020, an on line course. She describes the course as follows:

“Parkinson’s School was created to be a resource for patients and their family members. Clinic visits are too few and far between and patients have questions that are going unanswered. Over the past 10 years I’ve treated over 3000 patients with Parkinson’s and these courses represent the themes I find myself repeating.

Throughout 2020, a new course will be released on the 14th and 28th of every month. Comments and course discussion will be open for the two weeks after each course to allow time for questions. After comments close, you will continue to have unlimited access to the videos and may watch them as often as you’d like.

As far as I know, online education programs to teach patients to better navigate their disease do not exist. I’m hoping this program will stimulate conversation, collaboration, and a sense of empowerment throughout the community.“

You can register for the course here. The cost of the course is $10 per lesson or $150 for all 24 lessons. Use coupon code NWPF-HOPE for a 20% discount bringing the price down to $120 for all 24 lessons. Below are the topics that will be covered during the year so you can pick and choose if you don’t want to sign up for the entire course.

You can watch the welcome for no charge where she discusses her background and credentials and the outline of the course so you have a better idea of what will be offered before you commit to taking the courses. I have signed up for the full course and I have included my thoughts about the first course below.

Lesson One – Orientation

I think this is the video we wish we could have viewed when we were first diagnosed. It covers what PD is and how it is more than the motor symptoms that affect us and what we can do to delay or reverse it. If you are on the fence about taking the course I highly recommend you purchase the first lesson for $10 just for the knowledge you will gain about Parkinson’s, how it progresses and what she has been doing to reverse or slow progression.

She and her research team have created a PD scoring system that is easy to complete and correlates well with the UPDRS and other tests we often take at the Doctor’s office for both diagnosis and current status. Her goal is to reduce your score by the end of the year. The PRO PD test is available to anyone at propd.org. There is no cost and it takes about 5 minutes to complete and get a score. I took it and ended up with a score of 744. I have asked for my previous scores from my participation in the CAM trial and will be interested to see if there is a change and which way, since my exercise level now is about double what it was in 2014/15.

All of her ideas are supported by slides that contain relevant research reports along with supporting data from the CAM study. This class is interesting and provides a wealth of information for PwP’s. I will keep you posted as I progress through the remaining classes.

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

PS: I just received an email from National Parkinson’s Foundation, Dr. Mischley is the featured expert on their next Expert Briefing webinar on March 17, 2020 from 1pm – 2pm ET. More information is available here If you are reading this post after 3/17/2020, all of the webinars are recorded and made available on their website.

Happy New Year!

OK maybe a belated wish but a sincere one none the less, for indeed it is a New Year and for most (if not all) of us, the only double digit (2020) year we will see. So I hope your holidays were joyous and that your new year has started out right!

Here’s what’s happened in our world since my last post:

We finished the holiday season attending various events with friends including riding the Sarasota trolley to view Christmas lights, catching a Christmas concert by the ‘living’ Christmas tree at a local church, attending a Mo-Town Christmas celebration, catching a play at the Florida Studio Theater, and hosting brunch for a few friends on Christmas day. And then, we bought a new car and finished the year by watching the last sunset over the gulf for 2019 on New Years Eve. Whew!!

I started the new year out with a visit to my neurologist where I was awarded a gold star for the best patient of the day! Well at least as of 10am that morning anyway. He was happy with my lack of progression, my continued efforts to exercise daily and he was OK with my efforts to finally get my Parkinson’s drugs working with minimal off time. He even suggested cancelling my next appointment and going to once every 6 months. So, for us PwPs it was a great visit, he didn’t change or add medications, was happy with my finger tapping, getting out of the chair and walking and I got a pat on the back and a “keep doing what you are doing” . Perfect!!

We have continued to keep up with tennis most everyday and I am cycling 3 days a week now that our cycling coach is also conducting two classes a week at a second location. According to my FitBit I am averaging about 6-7 hours of exercise per week with 3 hours high intensity (cycling) and 3 – 4 hours of doubles tennis at a medium level.

Speaking of cycling, I have been working on a website about the Pedaling for Parkinson’s classes in the Sarasota area and the benefits of exercise for PwP’s. Click here to view the site SRQ Pedals to Fight PD. We will also use the website for class members and cycling coaches who want to download recorded audio of some of our rides to listen to when they are unable to attend class, traveling, etc.

If you haven’t read Simon Stott’s year end review of 2019 on his Science of Parkinson’s Blog, I highly recommend you take a look at it. Sometimes we feel like nothing new is happening in PD research but you will find that a lot of exciting research is going on. You can read it here and you can read his post on what’s on the horizon for 2020 here.

I recently signed up for PD School 2020 by Dr Laurie Mischley and had planned to write about it in this post, but this post is long enough and I think it deserves a post of it’s own. Yes that means I might have two posts in one week!! Stay tuned and see if it happens.

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

Happy Thanksgiving

Wow, it is already Thanksgiving Day and that means this year is almost over! Seems like it was just New Years Day last month. We are in Knoxville for the weekend but I wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and best wishes for the Holiday season.

A quick reminder that following Black Friday tomorrow and Cyber Monday is Giving Tuesday, a great time to make a donation to your favorite charity, no matter what the cause. Several of the PD Foundations will be matching your donation on Tuesday and I’m sure that is also true for other charities. It is a great opportunity to make a difference.

You might recall from my last post that the YMCA where I take my Pedaling with Parkinson’s class was scheduled to close September 13, 2019. This announcement caused a massive outburst from members and the community of Sarasota resulting in a new entity being formed to take over the two fitness centers. But it went right down to the wire (in fact they actually closed as scheduled and then reopened 3 days later) before we knew if we would have class the week of September 16th. So our coach had branched out and we had a plan in place to move our class to HealthFit, the gym where I first started cycling for PD. (You can read my post about that experience here. )

When we were able to save the YMCA, she continued to coach a class at HealthFit and I have started going to that class when possible to up my cycling days to the recommended 3 times per week. I still feel this is the best exercise I have found for slowing the progression of my PD. Studies continue to show that high intensity interval training improves dopamine production while providing cardio benefits and slowing progression. If you are on the fence about trying cycling take a look at this recent study reported on the Science of Parkinson’s blog.

We are excited for the ‘winter’ weather here in Florida, it has made our almost daily tennis games much more pleasant and enjoyable. We are playing most days and occasionally we even play twice a day! I don’t know why we aren’t on the senior tennis circuit, surely all this training should turn us into another Roger Federer or Ashleigh Barty!! I guess we will just have to keep it up until it happens 🙂

Coming up – Parkinson’s Revolution – an indoor cycling experience taking place February 8 sponsored by the Parkinson’s Foundation. This event combines passion, determination and community to generate awareness and advance our mission toward a cure. You can find more information here and I will post more information on the blog as our plans firm up.

Have a great holiday season!

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

Tag: Parkinson’s Disease

Clinical Trial Needs, Southern Symposium and NOLA!

I have previously posted about the need for clinical trial participants. I have joined Fox rial Finder which has a large database of trials and provides a list of possible research opportunities based on your desired parameters (distance from home, # of years with PD, etc.). Mara and I recently matched up for a trial being conducted at the University of Alabama Sparks Center, Mara as a control and I as a PD patient. The trail is called LRRK2 and Other Novel Exosome Proteins in Parkinson’s Disease (that’s a mouthful!) LRRK2 is one of the genetic markers closely associated with development of Parkinson’s Disease. The official description is as follows:

“This proposal seeks to 1) determine whether there are biomarkers associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) susceptibility and/or progression in exosome-proteomes derived from PD patients versus controls, and 2) to determine if LRRK2 expression and/or phosphorylation are significantly lowered in the exosomes of individuals treated with the potent LRRK2 inhibitor sunitinib (a multi-kinase inhibitor compound), to establish an assay for on-target effects for future LRRK2 inhibitor clinical trials.”

Sounds pretty intimidating but all that is required now is giving urine and blood samples and Mara will be given the PD Screening questionnaire and I will be tested to verify my PD diagnoses. They expect it will take about 1.5 hours and we have an appointment next week, so I will provide an update after the visit.

Speaking of clinical trials, Michael J Fox Foundation has a need for PwP’s to participate in BioFIND, a study also looking for PD biomarkers. Participation in BioFIND requires only two visits to a clinical site in a two-week period. The visits will include a combination of clinical assessments, sample collection and written surveys. With the aim to complete recruitment as soon as possible, BioFIND needs volunteers now. Go to this link to find out if you are eligible and if there is a site near you. (I am not eligible as I haven’t been diagnosed for more than 4 years)

We are in Spartanburg SC for the Parkinson’s Disease Southern Symposium which starts tomorrow and runs for 4 days. Based on the agenda, it looks like we will be busy! We are looking forward to meeting old friends and making new friends. The agenda includes a screening of Capturing Grace, the documentary by Dave Iverson and attending the Davis Phinney Foundation Victory Summit, an all day event about living with Parkinson’s.

We had a great time in NOLA (New Orleans LA), attending a wedding and then spending a few days with friends touring the town. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed the sights, sounds, and food of the French Quarter which included a beignet and coffee at Cafe Du Monde. Our favorite spot for breakfast was TOAST a small restaurant just a block from the house we rented in Uptown. They had a great mural on the wall as you can see in this photo.

I know this is the second post without discussing my experiences brewing beer but I promise it will make the next one, it should be ready to taste early next week. See you then.

November 13, 2014
My Everyday Heroes
After my last post, I started thinking about the support network we have built because of the people we have met while attending the Kripalu Wellness Retreat, the Partner’s in Parkinson’s event and the Grand Challenge meeting. The more I thought about them, the more I realized how every one of us has been impacted differently by the many symptoms of PD and how we hunger for information from each other. As Bill Wilkins said in Atlanta, I can meet a person with PD and immediately strike up a conversation and that conversation often gravitates to questions like:
- When were you diagnosed?
- What symptoms do you have?
- What medications are you using?
- How are you dealing with….?
- Do you belong to a support group?
- What kind of exercise regimen do you follow?
In the past year we have met many other PwP’s, care partners, researchers, representatives of organizations supporting Parkinson’s patients and others involved in Parkinson’s care or research. And I have realized how many everyday heroes we have met, for example the couple whose son was diagnosed with early onset PD and can no longer work, or the school teacher who had to retire because she lost her voice, or Soania who was diagnosed at 27 as she was just starting her medical career and now writes a blog for about.com health including one about another hero we met, Steve, who has come up with an innovative way to transport PwP to clinical trials, or Saul from Atlanta whose daughter / care partner was diagnosed with MS and Sandra who started our local support group because she saw a need and many, many more. All heroes in my book.

Then there are the many people we have met that work or volunteer for the Michael J Fox Foundation (MJFF) or the Cure Parkinson’s Trust (CPT) or the National Parkinson’s Foundation (NPF) or Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) or Brian Grant Foundation (BGF) or Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) and others. These individuals are dedicated to the cause of finding a cure for PD and they are passionate about it. Some have PD and some have relatives or friends with PD but they all want to be involved in research or fund raising or developing educational materials or advocating on behalf of PD patients at the state and national and world levels. They include Tom Isaacs whom I mentioned in the last post and Jon Stamford of CPT, Claire and Claudia from MJFF, Joyce from NPF, Steve and Linda from PDF, Bill of the Wilkins Foundation, Brian Grant from BGF (duh), and Israel from PAN.

And while we didn’t meet Michael J Fox, I know I am not alone in viewing him as a hero, in fact, he was just selected as the first WebMD Health Hero Hall of Fame winner for his significant accomplishments, both personally and through his foundation, to raise awareness, expand funding, develop treatment options, and advocate for patients in his tireless quest to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

And there is the online community which includes some of the same people I’ve already mentioned that I follow on Twitter along with Robert who writes the blog Tremors in the Universe and has just published a book of the same name with part of the proceeds going to MJFF and NPF, and Grove who represents PAN for the State of Idaho and Kaitlyn whom we first met at Kripalu and many, many more. Again even more heroes.

These are just a few examples of the many dedicated PD advocates I have met in the past year. I could easily fill several more pages with examples of the people we have met and the actions they have taken to live with Parkinson’s or help someone else live with PD or the research they have done to find a cure, or the actions they have taken to raise funds for research and education and they are all everyday heros.

Finding a cure or even a way to slow the progression won’t happen without this patient involvement and advocacy. As Tom Isaacs said in Grand Rapids, “We must make patient involvement the rule, not the exception.” He found that PwP’s who are involved in any constructive way benefit from an improved sense of wellbeing and fulfillment. Being able to go to Kripalu and Atlanta and Grand Rapids has resulted in having expanded my network of supporters and increased my understanding of PD. My online community helps me stay current on PD news, new medications and therapies, how others are dealing with the many symptoms of PD and provide me with another support network.

We plan to keep on traveling to Parkinson’s events while I still can and we will continue to be advocates for PD. This includes advocating for increased patient involvement in all aspects of PD from clinical trials to pushing for increased funding for PT & OT visits and for changes that will allow PwP to take or get your medication on time while hospitalized.

I am honored to report that my last blog post – Increasing Patient Involvement – was featured on the Parkinson’s Movement website! Thanks for reading, and if you tuned in to find out about brewing beer at home, maybe I’ll get to that one next !
October 14, 2014
On The Road…Again!

Mara and I attended the Partners in Parkinson’s event in Atlanta recently, along with an estimated 650+ other patients with Parkinson’s and their loved ones. We were also honored to serve as panelists during one of the breakout sessions.

Our day started with meeting a couple from Knoxville as we walked to the convention center. We introduced ourselves and agreed to stay in contact since they had not yet found a support group. After getting registered, we enjoyed the complimentary breakfast with a couple from Atlanta and soon selected a table to sit at for the morning presentation, joining a father and daughter from the area. We had already added six people to our support group and the day was young!

Three main topics were covered in the morning moderated by longtime journalist Dave Iverson, a Parkinson’s patient himself, who serves as contributing editor for the The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Each topic was followed by Q & A from the audience. The first topic was The Many Faces of Parkinson’s Disease. Dave questioned three Parkinson’s patients about their diagnoses and the path their lives have taken since, reinforcing the fact that this disease impacts everyone differently. As Dave said “If you have seen one person with Parkinson’s, you have seen one person with Parkinson’s.”

Next up was Seeing a Movement Disorder Specialist: What to Know, Ask and Expect. A Movement Disorder Specialist MDS is a neurologist who has received additional training in PD and other disorders. One of the cool things you can find on the Partners in Parkinson’s website is a searchable database to help you find a movement disorder specialist near you.

Dr. Stewart Factor, Director of the Emory University Movement Disorder Clinic, conducted an “appointment” with a PD patient and his wife. It was an interesting, informative session prompting many of us to realize that our initial consultation may not have been filled with as much information about PD that he was covering.

The final topic was Parkinson’s Research: The Road Ahead where Dave questioned three experts involved in clinical trials and PD research. This was an informative session that engendered many questions from the audience including when to start levodopa, diet, new drugs in the pipeline, clinical trials and others.

After lunch, the breakout sessions were offered twice so you could attend two different sessions. The sessions were Living Well with Parkinson’s, presented by The Davis Phinney Foundation; I’m Still Wondering About…, an opportunity to ask additional questions; and Building Connections with Family, Friends and Community, the one we participated in.You could also browse the Resource Fair where over 20 local organizations and care providers offered information for PD patients.Since we were involved in both of our sessions, we couldn’t attend any of the others but I did hear a lot of positive response about The Davis Phinney presentation.

Our panel included Bill Wilkins, diagnosed 8 years ago and very active in the Parkinson’s community through his organization, The Wilkins Parkinson’s Foundation, and India Pender Martin, whose grandfather was diagnosed when she was three and who is also active in the Parkinson’s community. Our panel was expertly moderated by Claire Meunier, vice president of research engagement for the Fox Foundation.

Mara and I discussed the path we have been following since my diagnosis, how we communicate with family and friends, our trip to Kripalu and why I started the blog. Bill discussed his diagnosis and how he became active in the Atlanta community and across the US. India talked about dealing with her grandfather’s Parkinson’s symptoms at an early age and her desire to find a cure. Then we took questions from the audience. We received positive comments from attendee’s after each session, and I handed out quite a few cards with the blog address — so might pick up a few more readers!

We are glad we accepted the invitation to participate on this panel even though neither of us are fans of public speaking. It became easier for me when Bill said, “I can meet a person with PD and immediately strike up a conversation.” Which is true for us too. We added many new friends to our support group. Partners in Parkinson’s allowed us the opportunity to “strike up a conversation” with fellow people living with Parkinson’s.

At the closing session Dave interviewed Mahlon R. DeLong MD, who just received the Lasker Award for research that led to Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). They talked about what’s next and the possibility of using DBS to help with balance and gait issues that aren’t solved with the current procedure. I am excited about that since those are my worst motor symptoms.

So that’s what happens at a Partners in Parkinson’s event and if one is being held near you we both recommend attending, you can find the schedule for the remaining events here.

Next…we are in Northern Michigan to celebrate Mara’s brother’s 70th birthday. Our timing is right and we will attend the Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease conference held in Grand Rapids where we will meet up with a couple we met at Kripalu.

Whew this was a long post, thanks for sticking it out to the end and stay tuned for the next post.

September 19, 2014

PD School – 2020

Happy New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving

Where in the world is Tom

It’s Parkinson’s Awareness Month – 9th Edition

We Survived Hurricane Ian!

Nine Years

Other Posts

Where in the world is Tom

It’s Parkinson’s Awareness Month – 9th Edition

We Survived Hurricane Ian!

Nine Years

Tag: Parkinson’s Disease

Clinical Trial Needs, Southern Symposium and NOLA!

My Everyday Heroes

On The Road…Again!