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Continue reading →: The Dark(er) Side to the Baby Teeth StoryWhat’s our government doing when we’re not looking? For Parkies, this is not an academic question. Sometimes, they’re putting things in the air that may affect our health decades later. Last week’s post touched on fallout from nuclear tests. This week: chemicals sprayed at street level. Enjoy!
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Continue reading →: Harvard Has My TeethAn email out of the blue informed me that I may have been exposed to nuclear test fallout when I was a child. Could this explain two cancer scares…and maybe even my Parkinson’s? The answer may be in my baby teeth.
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Continue reading →: Not the Best Gift Ever… But a GiftA Parkinson’s diagnosis comes with significant challenges. But sometimes it can offer the chance to reinvent oneself, and create meaning in an entirely new way. Here are some stories of reinvention.
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Continue reading →: A Parkinson’s Detective StoryLast week, I talked to my Movement Disorder Specialist about my suddenly-increased tremor, and asked her to put her detective skills to work. She thinks she may have figured out the cause — and her theory is reassuring.
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Continue reading →: The Easy Part is OverThomas Jefferson once said that victories are temporary, while defeats are permanent. Those of us fighting Parkinson’s celebrate the victories when we can, and adapt to defeat when we need to.
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Continue reading →: Going Backward, Moving ForwardThe fight against Parkinson’s does not always proceed in a straight line. There are advances and setbacks…gains and losses. Here are examples of each.
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Continue reading →: We’re All Just Winging ItAs Parkinson’s continues to defeat (for now) the best efforts of the medical establishment to find a cure, PWP’s are taking matters into their own hands. They’re communicating, offering advice and experimenting outside the boundaries and supervision of the elites. Results are promising but mixed.
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Continue reading →: Brett Favre’s Parkinson’s DiagnosisAnother big name — this time, NFL great Brett Favre — announced he has Parkinson’s. His initial symptoms, and what he believes to be the cause, resonate in my own experience.
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Continue reading →: What I’ve Learned From 16 Months With Parkinson’sAbout a year-and-a-half after my diagnosis, I’m far from a Parkinson’s expert. But I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two. Here are some things I’ve picked up from 16 months as a PWP.
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Continue reading →: Should Research Study Results Change My Behavior?There are dozens of Parkinson’s clinical study reports issued every year. Here are two that convinced me to take action and make changes in my life.
Hello,
I’m Phil Bernstein
I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease on May 25, 2023. At the time, I was only vaguely aware of Parkinson’s — primarily from articles in People about Michael J. Fox. And I didn’t know anyone with the disease.
Now, I know a lot more about the illness, and I’ve joined the Parkinson’s community in my hometown of Portland, Oregon.
I’ve found that writing helps me think through challenges, and this illness definitely qualifies as a challenge. I’ve started Shakin’ Street to help me think through the various obstacles, tools, and resources that a newly-diagnosed Parkinson’s patient encounters along the way.
I hope some of these posts help you address and tackle your own challenges.
Shakin' Street -- A Parkinson's Blog 