When Life Gives You Parkinson's

Extra Dosage - What’s Up Doc? Larry talks to his NeurologistThis is a special bonus episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s which we are calling “Extra Dosage.” Full episodes will be release every other Wednesday. In between, Niki and I will share new information, original interviews and extra material that provide more context to topics raised in the previous episodes of the podcast. We’ll also answer your questions. Feel free to write us with questions at parkinsonspod@curiouscast.ca. From the time my hand started to tremor to the time of my Parkinson’s diagnosis I’d seen my family physician three times, been poked, pushed, pulled and tested by two neurologists and some residents, had blood tests, an ultra sound, an MRI, lost many hours in doctor office waiting rooms and chewed my fingernails to the quick – a couple of times. It was eight months of not knowing. And I was lucky. Some people are waiting years. It is not as if putting a label on my strange symptoms made it better or even go away, but for me it is just a relief to know it is something. But why is Parkinson’s disease so hard to diagnose? In this Extra Dosage episode of When Life Gives You Parkinson’s, I talk to my neurologist and pepper him with questions that I’ve never asked him before. Why is it hard to diagnose? What would he do if he was diagnosed? Is there really a gut health connection? What should I ask in my check-ups? What’s he looking for? And more. I find Dr. Jonathon Squires frank, funny, authentic, and accessible. I hope you do to. Meanwhile, Niki sits down with a Sandie Jones and Grace Ferrari at Parkinson Canada. Sandy pre-dates the Parkinson wonder drug levodopa. She shares her experience with Parkinson’s as a nurse in the early 1960’s. After hearing what it was like, I’ll likely never complain about having to take my pills so often. Follow me, Larry Gifford Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod Instagram: @parkinsonspod Follow Co-host and Producer Niki Reitmeyer Twitter: @Niki_Reitmayer I see Dr. Jonathon Squires at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at UBC. You can find more information about the centre here https://www.centreforbrainhealth.ca/ For more info on our partner Parkinson Canada head to http://www.parkinson.ca/ The toll free hotline mentioned in this episode is 1-800-565-3000 Or follow them on Twitter Parkinson Canada @ParkinsonCanada Parkinson Society BC @ParkinsonsBC Credits Dila Velazquez - Story Producer Rob Johnston - Senior Audio Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Disease Guy, getting recast in your life story, and other things you can't put on your LinkedIn | 3I wish I didn’t have Parkinson’s. You wish I didn’t have Parkinson’s. In fact, as far as I can discern no one is really happy about it. My Parkinson’s is inconvenient and uncomfortable for everyone involved. That uncomfortableness has led me to apologize for having it. I have moments nearly everyday when I try to make people feel better about my diagnosis and symptoms. (Frankly, I always thought it was supposed to be the other way around.) But, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. We all play roles in each other’s lives. We’re cast. I’m the baby brother, the college buddy, ‘Smokey the sports radio guy’ and more. For each person in my life, I played a particular part. The inconvenience and uncomfortableness arises from the reality that no one cast me as ‘disease guy.’ It can be really awkward and depressing to face realities of disease — for everyone. In August 2017, Parkinson’s hijacked my storyline and recast me in your life story and mine. Now, in addition to high school theatre geek, loving husband and wine lover, I’m Larry with a degenerative brain disease. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s a skill set I can to add to my LinkedIn profile. Yes, I wish I didn’t have Parkinson’s. I am, however, grateful that my story continues to be written. Parkinson’s has given me an opportunity to update my character and made me realize that as people change, our narratives about them need to be rewritten too. In a rather healthy way, disease actually jumpstarts that process and forces people to see others in a new and different light. In this episode of “When Life Gives You Parkinson’s”, my Mom, my wife Rebecca, my co-host Niki and I examine the roles we’ve accepted in each other’s lives, how we feel about those roles changing and what we can do to keep moving forward in life. Follow Larry Gifford Twitter: @ParkinsonsPod Facebook: Facebook.com/ParkinsonsPod Instagram: @parkinsonspod Follow Co-host and Producer Niki Reitmeyer Twitter: @Niki_Reitmayer For more info on our partner Parkinson Canada head to http://www.parkinson.ca/ Or follow them on Twitter Parkinson Canada @ParkinsonCanada Parkinson Society BC @ParkinsonsBC Thank you Courtney Doherty, registered clinical Counselor at Parkinson’s Society. Thank you as always to my wife Rebecca Gifford and my mom Marty Gifford Thank you to @SickboyPodcast – check them out here http://sickboypodcast.com/ Follow them on Twitter Brian Stever @SteverBrian Taylor MacGillvary @Taymacgillivary Jeremie Saunders @JeremieSaunders 10 steps to help you cope with a Parkinson’s diagnosis https://www.parkinson.ca/wp-content/uploads/10_Steps_eng_PC.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

37M

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