In this episode, we bring back Dave Kolbe from Episode #11. Dave has had Parkinson's for 9+ years and is still living his best life! Hear the advice and tips he has to those of us who are newly diagnosed (or those who are years in!).

It's been over 2 years since we launched, "The Secret Life of Parkinson's". We recorded our 100th episode and are excited to share our top 5 most viewed episodes and the episodes the four of us learned the most from. Check it out!

Thanks for viewing and following our journey! We are so grateful for all the viewers and appreciate all the comments. Keep them coming!

Check out our latest interview with Dr. Patel where we talk about MDS's approach to medication with their patients, their reaction to taking or not taking medications, and much more!

In this episode, hear the love story of Allie and Steven. You may recognize them from #LitWithin or #InLoveWithParkinsons. While they lived over a thousand miles apart, Steven found Allie's blog, LitWithin, reached out to her, and the rest is history. Both living with Parkinson's, they met, fell in love, got married, and just recently, got DBS together - on the same day! Inspiring story you don't want to miss!

I've been waiting all week to share this video! For those who watched my "live" video about elbow/shoulder issues, this is a MUST SEE! I never had a reason to go to a Physical Therapist, but my MDS recommended it when medication wasn't fully helping the pain. The results...let's just say I'm a believer in PT! I'm not a doctor, and I know everyone experiences different symptoms, but I highly recommend using all the tools that your doctor provides you! Check out why.

While socializing may not directly increase dopamine levels in Parkinson's patients in the same way that medication or deep brain stimulation does, the positive experiences associated with social interaction can indirectly contribute to dopamine release and have beneficial effects on symptom management and overall well-being. Therefore, go on that girls trip or boys trip! Take the family on a weekend getaway or staycation. Don't isolate - continue to foster social connections and maintain an active social life.

In this informative episode, we learn from Martha Carlin all about poop (yes, poop), our gut, and it's relation to Parkinson's disease. Martha has been researching gut health since her husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's 20 years ago. Inspired by groundbreaking research from Dr. Filip Scheperjans in 2014, Martha founded The BioCollective, a research company focused on mapping health, and then later created BiotiQuest probiotics. The amount we learned in this short segment is amazing! Tune in today!

Tune in to hear our friend, Thalia, talk about her journey to Parkinson's. She went in for a heart transplant which she believes may have triggered the onset of Parkinson's. This disease is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with multifactoral causes, and not everyone who experiences trauma or surgery will develop Parkinson's as a result. But there is some evidence that suggests if you are already predisposed to the condition due to genetic or other factors, that the onset is possible after such events.

In this episode, we talk about Jessica's approach to her new Parkinson's symptom (shoulder and elbow pain/tension) and tips on how Brian can exercise his masked face. We cover a few other random topics...not sure why, but this episode just made us laugh. Always good when have fun with your PD friends ;)

Download ebook: https://www.parkinson.org/library/books/hospital-action-plan

Order the book: https://www.parkinson.org/resources-support/pd-library/order-publications

If you have not ordered or downloaded this book from the Parkinson's Foundation, I suggest you do it today! It is filled with great information. Easy to read! There are pages you are supposed to tear out to bring with you. At some point, we will all go to the hospital for some reason - Parkinson's related or not. But living with Parkinson's, we always have to be prepared. Check this out today! Nice work Parkinson's Foundation!

No one plans on falling but when you are living with Parkinson's, there is a high likelihood that falling may occur due to the disease, or just a normal trip on the curb. Either way, there are things you can learn about and things you can practice today to be prepared if and when a fall occurs.

In this episode, we discuss symptom changes. Every Parkinson's patient is different: their symptoms, disease progression, response to medications...everything. It's always good to keep a journal and document any symptoms, whether they come and go or come and are here to stay.

Brian and Jessica share future episodes that you can expect in 2024!

In this episode, we talk about our experiences with a "frozen shoulder" or pain in your shoulder. Rigidity, tension, and stiffness. Medication and continuing to exercise/move my arm has helped alleviate some of the stiffness at the moment. Do you suffer from pain in your shoulder?

In this episode, we talk with Lisa who is a person living with Parkinson's and has found painting as her therapy. She never painted before, but after living with Parkinson's for 10 years, she decided to give it a try and now she's hooked. According to the APDA, "Art therapy may also be a tool that enhances the lives of people with PD more generally. One small study investigated clay art in people with PD and showed improvements in hand dexterity, mood, and quality of life."

What kind of art have you tried?

https://www.apdaparkinson.org/article/art-therapy-parkinsons-disease/#:~:text=Art%20and%20PD%3A%20Beyond%20the,mood%2C%20and%20quality%20of%20life.

This interview is longer than most, but for good reason. My good friend, Leah Dennis, shares her personal journey of what it was like witnessing her mother (diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2016) experience Parkinson's psychosis, only they didn't realize it was PD psychosis right away. In this video, Leah touches on "red flags" and warning signs that every care partner and patient should pay attention to. This is an episode you don't want to miss.

In this episode, Brian speaks very candidly about his recent work situation. Due to a reduction in workforce with his previous employer, Brian was laid off and is now searching for a new job. Like anyone, searching for a job can be stressful. But add Parkinson's to the mix, as well as being a single dad like Brian. Check out this video to see how he's handling these changes.

In this episode, we are just scratching the surface with the topic of falling. Parkinson's or not, more than 1 in 4 people over the age of 65 fall each year. That number doubles if you are living with Parkinson's. Melissa introduces us to a few basic things to check into first, but as you can imagine, exercise is going to be a big part of this conversation!

In this episode, Roz gives us an update on her DBS journey. We always hear the success stories, and while hers is still a success, she's encountered a few bumps along the way. Listen to her current struggles and how she's working to overcome them.

In this episode, Dr. Patel describes the difference between the 5 Neurodenerative Parkinsonisms: Parkinson's Disease, Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), and Lewey Body Dementia (which is discussed in Part 2).

We take a quick break and come back on with Dr. Patel to talk about Lewey Body Dementia further and how it's different from Parkinson's Dementia and Alzheimer's. Great episode that everyone should hear!