For the fourth time in a month I will head out to Hub Bub which is a wonderful custom bike shop not too far from me. I learned of them when I was complaining to a fellow cyclist about the many aches and pains I was dealing with, the worst of which was the dreaded SADDLE SORENESS. Then he made the comment that he never (never? really?) has that problem. He told me to get fitted for my bike and the problem would be solved.
Diane, my trusted new cycle fix-it friend, has done wonders but yet I am headed back today. To date... she has raised my seat up about 2 feet (!) and also forward giving me a new found power I didn't know I had. Ann is extremely grateful, I might add. She adjusted my cleats which eliminated the burning in the bottoms of my feet and put a wedge in as well which solved the problem of inner knee pain.
She's good, as you can see.
BUT...she hasn't solved my saddle issues...yet. This week I tried out a loaner seat that seemed promising for a variety of technical reasons. SO, while Marc was off in NYC, Ann and took it for a spin....OUCH! I think I mean OUCH! I have come to the conclusion that it is not about the seat but about my anatomy. For some reason I am not sitting on my 'sit bones' but on my crotch (no better word so deal with it).
Then Marc returns from his trip and hands me a book: JUST RIDE A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike
Hmmmm....Chapter 43: Women's saddles, women's crotches
This is my kind of book.
Excerpt: Most women are comfortable sitting bolt upright on a wide-enough saddle, because upright sitting avoids pressure on the plumbing. (BINGO!) The problem comes with the forward lean that works with faster riding. It puts pressure on the "sensitive areas", and the motion of pedaling makes it worse. (Exactly! I think the author of this book has read my mind.)
Interestingly, when I called Diane after my last less-than-comfortable ride, she said that she thinks she needs to change my seat post and handlebars so that I am sitting more upright. Like I said, she's good.
So off I go with my bike in tow, to try another round of 'What can we try next to keep Karen in the saddle, pain-free and happy.' I will let you know how it goes.
And for the purpose of gender equality on this issue, I will make note of Chapter 40 which is "Saddles don't cause impotence".
Enough said.
http://www.hubbubcustom.com/
Postscript: I think she worked her magic again! Changed my handlebars completely...instead of curling down and having to bend forward (thus taking me off my sitbones) my handlebar now curls up and out much like a standard touring bike. This has me much more upright and although the test ride was only 30 min. It felt 100% better. Tomorrow morning I will ride with Marc and put her wisdom and her magic to the test.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
Are You IN?
So, I will start with some sobering statistics...let's just put them on the table and then move on.
Fact...
*30% of all clinical trials fail to recruit a single person
*85% of clinical trials face delays due to limited participation
*Fewer than 10% of Parkinson's patients ever take part in trials, despite overwhelming interest in working with scientists to help speed treatment breakthroughs
And...
It costs a billion dollars to take a drug through a phase 3 clinical trial and
every month that the trial gets delayed because of poor enrollment it costs the pharmaceutical company one million dollars.
Then...
Big Pharma often finds other diseases more attractive for many reasons not the least of which is that there are so many more folks with diabetes, heart disease and cancer that might use the drug they are investing their time and money in.
So.. out of this doom & gloom scenario comes the tool of all scientific tools.....
BIOTECHNOW EDITOR | 04/09/2012
Fox Trial Finder and You: Use It to Recruit for Your Trials or to Get Involved Yourself!
The Michael J. Fox Foundation has launched Fox Trial Finder, a new Web tool that uses state-of-the art technology to connect potential study volunteers with the coordinators of clinical studies that need someone with their specific medical history. The goal is to benefit both study sponsors and patients by getting people into clinical trials and studies faster — speeding the development of new treatments and ultimately a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
“This is an example of how technology can enable us to bring new strategies to address a long-standing problem,” says Deborah W. Brooks, co-founder and executive vice chairman of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
The Goal...To register 10,000 people in Fox Trial Finder by the start of 2013. They are well on their way at just over 8000!
The Upshot...me and a bunch of other really funny, smart, young, old and otherwise nifty people need a cure. To achieve that lofty goal, all of us certainly need to step up to the plate but you can help too. Most studies need healthy controls for comparison so if you are so inclined why not create your own FTF profile. And btw...this amazing tool now makes Parkinson's look exceedingly attractive in the eyes of biotech and big pharma...the swan instead of the ugly duckling.
EASY...EASY...EASY
And Finally...
Thank you to the family, friends and patients (you know who you are) who have either made themselves available to enter a trial by having created a FTF profile or have given me and my friends with PD a selfless gift with their enrollment in the PPMI.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Lake View Iowa
Hmmmm....with a slogan like this, my curiosity is certainly peaked. So my task is to find out what kind of "life style" they would be referring to. Let's go!
As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 1,142 people, 564 households, and 326 families residing in the town. The population density was 540 people per square mile (208.5/km²). There were 950 housing units at an average density of 449.2 per square mile (173.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.3% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1Pacific Islander, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.1% of the population.
Lake View has one school, the high school for the East Sac County School District. Elementary schools are located in Sac City and Wall Lake, and the middle school is also in Sac City. It was formerly the combined high school and middle school for the Wall Lake View Auburn School District. The school's mascot is a Viking-inspired "Raider". The superintendent is Dr. Kevin Fiene. The principal of the high school is Kevin Litterer.
Steve Kettering, a US Senator is the only notable person from Lake View.
Well, I have to tell you that this is it. There is only one word describing the life style in Lake View...LAIDBACK. With 10,000 riders descending on this tiny town...we will certainly be THE happening event of the summer.
to see some nice pics of Lake View check out their FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/LakeViewIA
to see some nice pics of Lake View check out their FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/LakeViewIA
next post: everything you need to know about FTF
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Amazing
A 58-year-old man with a 10-year history of idiopathic
Parkinson's disease presented with an incapacitating freezing
of gait. However, the patient's ability to ride a bicycle was
remarkably preserved.
My absolute favorite part of these videos is the jaunty jump
off the bike at the end of his ride...as if he is 8 years old and
ready for his next adventure.
I thought that I would digress from "the route" for a bit to
present some of the research behind this phenomenon of exercise-provoked wellness.
*For my readers who might like to peruse the actual abstract, I have provided it below.
The rest of you....scroll for the upshot.
Effect of forced-exercise on motor symptoms and cortical
activation in Parkinson’s disease
Anwar Ahmed, Angela L. Ridgel, Michael J. Phillips, Jerrold L. Vitek,
Mark L. Lowe, Mark Hutson, Mary Feldman and Jay L. Alberts.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Background: It has been shown in the past that a long-term
lower extremity forced-exercise (FE) intervention resulted in
significant improvements in Parkinson’s disease (PD) symptoms
in both upper and lower extremity motor function in mild to
moderate PD. Interestingly, symptomatic motor improvement
produced by FE is similar to that seen by standard levodopa
(LD) therapy for PD. This suggests that the two interventions
may produce similar changes in underlying motor pathway
network function which translates into motor improvement.
Previous studies have demonstrated increased functional MRI
(fMRI) activation in the supplementary motor area (SMA) and
M1 region in response to LD therapy. The present study utilized
fMRI activation and Unified Parkinson’s disease motor scores
(UPDRS-III) to study changes in the motor pathway in response
to both FE and LD therapy in patients with PD. We hypothesize
that both treatment interventions will demonstrate similar
changes in UPDRS-III score and fMRI activation.
Methods: UPDRS-III and fMRI examinations were completed
in 10 mild to moderate PD patients under three randomized
conditions: no medication, on medication, and no medication
with FE. (you may skip to the bottom now) The FE intervention consisted of one 40-minute session
in which patients exercised on stationary tandem cycle with an able-bodied trainer maintaining rate of 80-90 revolutions per
minute. Gradient echo EPI fMRI was performed on at 3T during performance of a bimanual finger tapping and force-tracking task
utilizing a standard block design.
Results: FE and LD therapy produced similar significant
reductions in the UPDRS-III scores: 35% and 38%, respectively.
fMRI data demonstrates increased activation in the SMA
and M1 regions in response to both FE and LD therapy. Also
during force-tracking task and bilateral finger tapping, motor
performance was 35% better following forced-exercise compared
to no exercise.
Conclusion: FE and LD therapy produced a similar pattern of
fMRI activation and therapeutic response. FE may facilitate central
motor control processes in PD patients. These findings suggest that
the same underlying mechanisms may provide symptomatic relief
from PD symptoms with both LD therapy and FE.
The Upshot: the functional MRI of a patient off meds but
doing regular forced exercise looks almost identical to the
brain of a patient on medication.
Bet there is no doubt any longer as to why I am 'doing this' again.
tomorrow: The spot light is on Lake View Iowa.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Cherokee
Do you think that Ann would peddle faster and harder if I played this song over and over that first day...especially if she knew that I intended to do so for the entire 70 + miles? I probably shouldn't even be tempted by such shenanigans as I doubt I would have a captain for the rest of the trip.
But I do think these Iowa cowboys are kind of cute...I will try to meet them just for the heck of it.
So here are a few fun facts to know and tell:
Cherokee may be the smallest town in the world to have its own symphony orchestra, the Cherokee Symphony. This 60-member orchestra has been referred to as "the best kept secret in Northwest Iowa".[6]
And aside from cowboys Steve, Dave & Jimmy this list is noteworthy for it's listing of the most famous residents of Cherokee and how I haven't heard of a single one of them.
- Adam Timmerman, former NFL lineman and Super Bowl champion for the St. Louis Rams and Green Bay Packers
- Guy M. Gillette, House of Representatives 1930–36, US Senate 1936–45
- Roger Goeb (1914–1997), composer
- Joseph A. Green Chief of Coast Artillery
- Gen. John D. Ryan, US Air Force Chief of Staff, 1969–71
- Ben F. Laposky, artist and mathematician
- Ken Nordine, voiceover
- Doug Ohlson (1936–2010), abstract artist.[7]
- Laurence Rickels, famous theorist and philosopher, notable for his studies on vampires, the devil, technology and science fiction
- Steven VanRoekel, second Federal Chief Information Officer of the United States [8]
So as I finish up this first of the overnight city pages, I will share with you this scrolling notification that I found on the Cherokee's Chamber of Commerce web page...my favorite part is highlighted below...
THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR RESIDENTS TO HOST RAGBRAI RIDERS ON SUN. JULY 22. YOU MAY HOST FROM 1 - 40 PEOPLE AND SUPPLY BEDS, FLOORSPACE, YOUR YARD FOR TENT CAMPING OR JUST ALLOW A MOTORHOME IN YOUR DRIVEWAY. WE HAVE GROUPS OF ALL AGES AND PROFESSIONS, AND YOU CAN COME INTO CITY HALL AND PICK THE PEOPLE YOU WANT TO STAY WITH YOU. PLEASE CALL CITY HALL AT 225-5749 FOR MORE INFORMATION! |
You know, you can never be too careful when it comes to cyclists...could be a crazed psychopath among them who thought it would be fun to ride 472 miles in a week ...hmmmm.
Monday, June 25, 2012
It's all about the route

About the 2012 RAGBRAI ROUTE
Look forward to some picturesque towns the cross-state bicycle tour has never before visited. Expect the usual assortment of Iowa oddities and interesting sites along the way, plus the abundance of friendly Iowans and great food that make the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa what it is.
SUNDAY, JULY 22
SIOUX CENTER to CHEROKEE 54.4 miles • 1,675 feet of climb
MONDAY, JULY 23
CHEROKEE to LAKE VIEW 62.0 miles • 2,173 feet of climb
TUESDAY, JULY 24
LAKE VIEW to WEBSTER CITY 81.2 miles • 1,657 feet of climb
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25
WEBSTER CITY to MARSHALLTOWN 77.1 miles • 1,997 feet of climb

THURSDAY, JULY 26
MARSHALLTOWN to CEDAR RAPIDS 84.8 miles • 3,576 feet of climb
FRIDAY, JULY 27
CEDAR RAPIDS to ANAMOSA 42.2 miles • 1,907 feet of climb
SATURDAY, JULY 28
ANAMOSA to CLINTON
69.4 miles • 2,811 feet of climb
Now, for a bit of perspective...
RAGBRAI XXXIX
July 24-30, 2011
July 24-30, 2011
This RAGBRAI will go down as one of the hottest RAGBRAIs ever! The riders were treated to the 4Hs – Heat, Humidity, Hills… and more Heat! It will technically go down as the second warmest RAGBRAI on record, with temps topping triple digits often. Day 1 Riders headed out of Glenwood and ran smack into the Loess Hills. The day would feature nearly a mile of climb (4,946 feet of climb) over the 64 miles to the first overnight town of Atlantic. Day 2 Atlantic to Carroll day was to be one of the tougher stretches that the riders would face all week. With close to 4,800 feet of climb over 65 miles,
It doesn't take a math scholar to see that the hills we climbed in the
first 2 days of last years route totaled 9746 feet which is even more
than the first 4 days of this years route put together (7402 feet). All
I have to say to that is......
YAHOO! .... I think I mean
YAHOO!
Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that this year will be a
piece of cake but...let's face it, it certainly looks better. At least on
a piece of paper.
So if any of you have any friends or family that live in these towns
on the route this year, let them know that we will be coming
through. We can look them up and share a cold one. In the days
before we leave, I will try to tell you a bit about these cities/towns.
RAGBRAI is a big deal to each of them...so they put on a bit of
make-up and their sunday best greeting us with open arms...and if I
am lucky, a freshly baked pie.

Sunday, June 24, 2012
Anticipation
In just four weeks....
On sunday morning July 22nd, I will pack up my tent, give my bike a once over and with my fellow PFP riders will start the one week journey across the state of Iowa.
This video was made by Matt Quinn who rode with us last year. I post it now as my 1 month count down begins...to not only remind me of what I am getting myself into again but to give you a sense of what this trip is like. Each of the cyclists in this video had their own reason to ride this corn-laden route....for those of us on Jay's team, the PFP slogan Exercise your brain, ride a bike seemed as good of a reason as any.
"For those who have done RAGBRAI, I was lucky enough to stop at a Pastafari "rest stop" and overhear some great music being played next door. Damon Dotson was gracious enough to record his song "Miles" for me behind the house where the crowd had assembled. I encourage you to buy his latest album, "Stars and Bars." Look it up on iTunes or visit http://damondotson.com/" ~matt quinn
Saturday, June 23, 2012
The Luck of the Irish
This week Dublin Ireland has been the host for the Movement Disorders Society (MDS) International Congress. Neurologists, Movement Disorders specialists and neuroscientists from all around the globe came together for this annual meeting. The hallway that I share with the Movement Disorders Center of University Hospital has been quiet this week as Drs David Riley and Ben Walter are across the Atlantic as well. I look forward to hearing what impressed them from what must have been a jam-packed week..Parkinson's and then more Parkinson's.
The blog below, from The MJFF website, is an interesting place to start. When you think of PD, I would guess that tremor...or shaking...is what immediately comes to mind...and perhaps "walking funny" would hold a close second. And while yes, most of us deal with tremor and gait issues, what I came to understand during the Q & A at the recent roundtable in Cleveland was that the attention being paid to non-motor symptoms was not only appreciated by the PWP in the audience but was a relief. Depression, constipation, sleep disorders and hypotension are just some of the non-motor problems that can greatly effect the life of a PWP but don't seem to be talked about as much in comparison. So to see that The MDS is starting to redefine or should I say re-emphasize what Parkinson's is, brings us to a new level. The new question is "How does PD effect the whole body?" This is exciting stuff, if you ask me. I had several of these non-motor symptoms in my late 30's...a good 10 years before my arm decided to clue me in.
So let me daydream for a quick minute...Not too far beyond the horizon is a day that looks like this: A 35 yo woman has developed several non-motor symptoms that worry her physician. A DAT-scan is ordered. She undergoes a lumbar puncture and a diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of a biomarker. With neuro-imaging and bio-specimen confirmation, she is given the approved Parkinson's vaccine. Life is good.
I have teased David Riley, Cindy Comella and Hubert Fernandez that they are three of the most optimistic physicians I know. I have come to realize that much has changed since each were young fellows and indeed they have much to be optimistic about. And so while it is good that Parkinson's is not contagious, the progress being made by the many researchers in the field, has many physicians and patients humming the same happy tune.
*******************************************************************************
Is Parkinson's Disease Just a Movement Disorder?
Posted by Nate Herpich, June 21, 2012
Fox Meeting Notes: We report on the latest news in Parkinson's disease research, live from the Movement Disorder Society International Congress in Dublin, Ireland.
Today's morning session focused on a budding topic in the field of Parkinson's disease (PD) research: Is PD even rightly defined as a movement disorder, anymore? Here is the concept at play: By the time a person is diagnosed with Parkinson's, the disease is already well developed - typically an individual has already lost around 80 percent of their dopamine neurons. More and more, research is pointing to the fact that Parkinson's may involve other systems in the body, beyond the central nervous system.
"I am amazed to think how our vision of PD continues to evolve," explains Maurizio Facheris, MD, MSc, associate director of research programs at the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF). "It has now moved way beyond the substantia nigra, even beyond the entire brain itself to include the colon and other systems. We should have no fear to change our perspectives and vision, we will still call it Parkinson's. But we do need to expand our thinking in developing treatments that could possibly target systems in the body that we never expected to target, just years earlier."
Researchers are already starting to take up this call to action. The Movement Disorder Society has formed a working group to be led by MJFF awardee Daniela Berg, MD, and Ron Postuma, MD, with the goal to better redefine PD on the whole, based on new understandings of the pre-motor signs of the disease. And as we wrote in this space last month, the landmark biomarker study the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is pondering expansion into a pre-motor cohort.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Pedaling For Parkinson's
Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2011 Oct;39(4):177-86.
It is not about the bike, it is about the pedaling: forced
exercise and Parkinson's disease.
Source
Abstract
Forced exercise has resulted in neuroprotective effects and improved motor function in animal studies. These promising results have not yet been translated fully to humans with Parkinson's disease (PD), as traditional exercise interventions have not yielded global improvements in function. A novel forced exercise intervention is described that has resulted in improved motor function and central nervous system function in PD patients.
Dr Jay Alberts may have stumbled upon something ten years ago while riding a tandem in Iowa, but he didn't stop there. He then took that fortuitous outcome and has scientifically pursued its validity ever since. His clinical research continues to garner national news attention such as the national news story that featured Jay and me about exercise and Parkinson's this past April.
https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?video-bike-riding-helps-parkinsons-patients-ease-their-symptoms
Enter Nan Little...persistently persistent is how Jay might have described her several years back. After hearing about Jay's work, Nan wanted to know how she could 'duplicate the study' herself as she lived on the west coast which is no where near Cleveland. She is a flyfisher woman who, because of her PD, was having trouble tying her lures. Jay's study had shown a 35% reduction in arm tremor in the forced exercise group which is the kind of results Nan was looking for. After many pleas from Nan, Jay took a break from his grant writing and answered her. They have been good friends & entrepreneurial partners ever since.
Nan began a regimen nearly identical to that assigned to the forced-exercise study arm with the only difference being that the only thing forcing her to maintain an 80-90 rpm cadence was her own two legs...no 'forced motor' on her bike. Nan will tell anyone who will listen that she too had a significant improvement in her symptoms and that her neurologist readily concurred. So Nan extended this 'lab result' and applied it to the 'real life' scenario where she needed it most...the bank of a river. Nan now travels with her bike, sets it up on a trainer on the river's edge and then fast paced cycles for 50 min...all while checking out the action in the river. Once she has completed her ride, she gets off her bike, dons her waders and then heads into the river fully able to tie her own lures.
Having a non-pharmaceutical way to improve her symptoms was a big deal so why not figure out a way to extend this therapy to other persons with PD....TAA DAA !!! (to make a long story a lot shorter). Pedaling For Parkinson's (PFP) and it's satellite program PFP at The Y.
The Mission of PFP
- To improve the quality of life of Parkinson’s disease patients and their caregivers;
- To educate patients, caregivers and the general public about the benefits of maintaining an active lifestyle after a Parkinson’s diagnosis;
- To support research dedicated to prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
out of which was born...
PFP at The Y.
In honor of this 10th anniversary ride, all funds raised this year will be going to support "Pedaling for Parkinson's at the Y" programs throughout the US. The goal of these programs is to make the exercise interventions we have shown effective available to Parkinson's disease patients throughout North America at a community level. An obstacle to starting programs at some of these locations is funds to support equipment and staffing (think of a YMCA in Iowa or Michigan or pick your favorite state with a limited budget, but with willing participants..these are the places we will be helping). The Cleveland site is close to opening it's doors but the intent is to offer this far and wide.
My own testimonial is why I am riding RAGBRAI again...and why I may find myself one day saying "I cannot believe it has been 10 years since I rode Big Blue!"
If you feel so inclined to make a donation, there is a link at the top right corner of this blog site.
karen
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
duty calls
So in spite of all that I have on my plate, at the end of the day I am still a working OB/GYN....and tonight I am on-call with a patient in labor. Writing a blog post for tomorrow will not be very feasible so I will substitute what I might have to say about "Is there a cure in sight?" and instead direct you all to the brand spanking new, hot-off-the-press, chock full MJFF website which was launched earlier today.
https://www.michaeljfox.org/
https://www.michaeljfox.org/
In the words of MJFF co-founder Debi Brooks, "This site reflects the growth and evolution of our organization over the past several years, tells the story of who we are today and the progress made in Parkinson’s research. Our hope is the new site creates a platform where Parkinson’s patients, caregivers, supporters, researchers and industry partners can come together to learn and get involved in one place."
And in my words...This site is a big W-O-W. As your mom, physician, friend or neighbor I must tell you that I have more than just hope that the baby I deliver tonight will soon grow up in a world where the question "Is there a cure in sight?" will no longer need an answer.
And in my words...This site is a big W-O-W. As your mom, physician, friend or neighbor I must tell you that I have more than just hope that the baby I deliver tonight will soon grow up in a world where the question "Is there a cure in sight?" will no longer need an answer.
So tonight I will let someone else educate and entertain you...I have to go deliver a baby.
next up: Pedaling For Parkinson's
Parkinson's 101
So, I thought that I would fill this page with a didactic lecture...
Parkinson's 101.
But I changed my mind.
I am pretty certain that this is all you need to know....
WE ARE THE FACES OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
So in lieu of what would have probably bored you to death, I have introduced you to just a small handful of the wonderful people I have met since being diagnosed. There are many more. They are strong and sassy...but mostly they are amazingly interesting men and women who I am lucky enough to call my friends. Look at their pictures and imagine how they must balance their current life with the things that defined them before being diagnosed. I had been hiding my diagnosis for a year and a half before I met my first comrade in arms...Soania. Her wisdom struck me as not only sensible but beautiful and strong. None of these men and women question their lot...but none are accepting of it either; we all do what we can...when we can. I love each and every one of these Faces of Parkinson's. They are, in every sense, the definition of Parkinson's 101.
Parkinson's 101.
But I changed my mind.
I am pretty certain that this is all you need to know....
WE ARE THE FACES OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
 |
Alyssa & Sharon
dog lover * mother of 3 sons *
Team Fox fundraisers
|
 |
Andrew
photographer * extraordinaire
|
 |
Arman
physician & entrepreneur *
co-founder of PALS, a non-profit raising
money for PD research
|
 |
Beth
podiatrist *
ZUMBA enthusiast *Team Fox Fundraiser
|
 |
Bill
member of MJFF patient council *
president of Wilkens Foundation for
Parkinson's
|
 |
Bret
new yorker * general council *
outed himself with a recent story in
Forbes magazine
|
 |
Brian
athlete *
PD advocacy * Powering Forward
|
 |
Catherine
architect * peter sellers fan
|
 |
Cidney
literacy specialist * mom
|
 |
Dara
dog rescuer *
riding RAGBRAI
|
 |
David
journalist *
member of MJFF patient council
|
 |
Glenn
attorney * dad *
my 1st ragbrai captain
|
 |
Hadley
painter & freelance artist *
6 yo sarah's mom
|
 |
John
riding ragbrai *
climbed mt kilamanjaro
last year
|
 |
Joyce
physician * athlete *
marathon runner
|
 |
Karen
Ob/Gyn * mom to three girls *
MJFF patient council &
team fox member
|
 |
Kathy
builder/contractor *
jewelry designer
|
 |
Michael
actor * hero
|
 |
Margaret
speaks mandarin chinese *
favorite quote:
白头偕老 (grow old and gray together), 如胶似漆
（be deeply attached to each other)
|
 |
Michelle
physical education teacher *
mom
|
 |
Scott
attorney *
founded Rock Steady Boxing,
a boxing gym for all levels of
Parkinson's disease.
|
 |
Nan
fly fisher woman *
inspiration behind Pedaling
for Parkinson's at the Y
|
 |
Sheryl
co-founder PDPlan4Life *
a webbased PD advocacy site
|
 |
Soania
physician * mom *
PD advocate and speaker
|
 |
Nancy
team fox fundraiser *
favorite quote:
"Always wear your party shoes."
|
 |
Laura
boundless enthusiasm *
team fox fundraiser
|
 |
Wendy
tennis player * team fox
|
So in lieu of what would have probably bored you to death, I have introduced you to just a small handful of the wonderful people I have met since being diagnosed. There are many more. They are strong and sassy...but mostly they are amazingly interesting men and women who I am lucky enough to call my friends. Look at their pictures and imagine how they must balance their current life with the things that defined them before being diagnosed. I had been hiding my diagnosis for a year and a half before I met my first comrade in arms...Soania. Her wisdom struck me as not only sensible but beautiful and strong. None of these men and women question their lot...but none are accepting of it either; we all do what we can...when we can. I love each and every one of these Faces of Parkinson's. They are, in every sense, the definition of Parkinson's 101.
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