Parkinson's Disease: A Complete Guide for Patients and Families by William J. Weiner, et al.

"A detailed, informative and educational read that covers almost any aspect you could possibly think of in terms of managing the disease and attempting to maintain quality of life."

4 Stars

Pros: Intricate, detailed, covering basically anything question you or a loved one might possibly have, this was an informative and educational read.

Cons: At times the medical terminology and explanation of what was happening in the brain was hard to comprehend/Though very detailed and covering basically anything you might possibly have a question about, it could, at times, be tedious to read/The fact that Parkinson's is extremely difficult to diagnose and does not have any known cure can be disheartening.

Full Review:

The prospect of any sort of neurodegenerative disease where areas of your brain slowly and surely die, is horrifying. I feel that there are two schools of thought when it comes to diseases like Parkinson's. People either want to know everything they can and will dive deep into literature, studies etc. And then there are the others who don't want to know anything about what's happening to them. I fall somewhere in the middle. I want to be informed so that I can try and be as helpful as possible. But at the same time, the thought that the people I love are slowly and surely going to struggle with increasing disability makes me want to curl up into a ball and cry. And trust me, there were times when I did let the tears flow and allowed myself to feel badly and to ask the ever present but unanswerable question of "why."

But after a time, I took a breath, accepted it and continued to read this book and retain as much as the information as I could. I know that in reading this book, it doesn't mean I will be able to cure anyone. But there's a part of me that feels that with the information I learned from this book, I'll at least be able to be of some help.

The sad reality is that there is no known cause or cure for Parkinson's Disease. Whether it's genetic, environmental etc, there's no true test that can diagnose Parkinson's or give a reason as to why someone develops the disease. But the situation isn't hopeless. The progression of the disease can be slow and if the patient is active in their treatment, open to taking medications, engaging in physical exercise that targets specific parts of the body and being honest with themselves, their families and their doctors, it's possible to maintain quality of life while still battling Parkinson's Disease. It's frightening but at the same time, nothing in the world is certain. I've done what I can to try and take away some of the unknowns and uncertainties and will try and keep them in my mind when dealing with this disease.

Comments

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

"When a scientist, Benes, who has integral and world changing information attempts to defect and join our Side, he's injured. A blood clot forms in his brain and the only way to save his life is to miniaturize the crew of the Proteus and inject them into Benes' body, so they can break up the blood clot from the inside. Of course, one thing after another goes wrong and every chapter is a new catastrophe but it was definitely a fantastic voyage. 2 Stars Pros: Grant is one dry character but he's a welcome bit of amusement in an otherwise serious and scientific novel. Cons: Grant is also SUCH a man that he spends most of the mission staring at saving the one woman board, Cora./Definitely ripe with anatomical lessons and what part of the body they were in. Since I've never been great at anatomy, a lot of it was lost on me and became burdensome near the end. Full Review: As in all things, there is a good side and a bad side. This book is very vague as...

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

"Arnold Spirit, Jr, or "Junior" as he's known on the Rez, does something no Spokane Indian has ever done. He enrolls in Reardon High School and begins the long and often painful process off navigating not only high school and adolescence but also being an outsider. Alexie handles it all with grace, humor and honesty. This was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone." 5 Stars Pros: Alexie handles the ups and downs of not only adolescence, but tragedy and loss in a stark, honest but gut wrenchingly relatable way. Cons: Some of Junior's all-consuming guilt, though understandable was a little repetitive but it's all part of being a teenager. Full Review: It all starts when Arnold Spirit Jr, or Junior, throws a textbook across the classroom. When he opened the book he saw his mother's name, her maiden name and it enrages him. He's furious that the reservation is so poor that they're learning from thirty-year old textbooks. He doesn't...

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