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Continue reading →: ParkiBot — A Powerful New FREE AI-Driven Research ToolWe have questions. Lots of questions. Finding answers on the internet is a bit of a crapshoot. Google can offer links to a bunch of websites, but we’re on our own sorting them out. We can search individual websites such as the Michael J. Fox or Parkinson’s Foundations — helpful, but they may not have…
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Continue reading →: Stopping the Dementia TrainFor people with Parkinson’s, the odds of getting dementia increase the longer we live — according to some experts, 70% of us will have it as part of the disease progression. I’ve got some family history that doesn’t help my chances of avoiding it. Is there a way of getting more favorable odds? Maybe. Here’s…
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Continue reading →: Keeping a Hobby Accessible for Your Person With Parkinson’sIf the person with Parkinson’s in your life has a hobby, participatig in that activity may become more difficult as the disease progresses. Here are some strategies for helping them do what they love for years to come.
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Continue reading →: What Do We Do With “Parkie?”Political consultant and wordsmith Frank Luntz wrote, “It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear.” For people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones, “Parkie” can be heard many ways. I recently grappled with the word and what it meant to one of my readers. Here’s what I’ve concluded.
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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.
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 