Skip to main content

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

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Spark of White Fire (The Celestial Trilogy #1) by Sangu Mandanna

"Similar to "Game of Thrones" only in space, there was a lot going on with a lot of different people and they were all important and connected but my tired, overworked brain had trouble keeping up. " 2 Stars  Pros:  I liked Max as a character, I'm all for the tall, dark, mysterious supposed bad boy with a heart of gold cliche, but the kissing cousins thing just made it weird.   Cons:  It felt like Game of Thrones, only in space, so there was a bit of a kissing cousins vibe going and I wasn't feeling it/The book tried to have these big, shocking moments I was just non-plussed, unaffected./The presence of the Gods irked me as they did in The Illiad, it's all terribly convenient to have divine intervention for your MCs. I feel like it's the cheapest fake-out cheat of all time 👍🤣 Full Review:    My co-worker, who has recommended some amazing reads such as, A Man Called Ove ,   The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse,  and I'll Give You The Sun...
Post a Comment
Read more

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

"The classic tale of Peter Pan, the boy who never grows up and his adventures with his Lost Boys and the Darling Children, Wendy, John and Michael. At times fun and whimsical and other times surprisingly dark, it was an interesting read as an adult." 3 Stars  Pros:   There is something appealing about flying away to a mysterious island where you can play all day and never have to grow up. The thrall of Neverland is a constant for this dreamer.  Cons: Peter Pan is truly the most arrogant little brat and very much in need of a mother/I was surprised at the bloodshed because I always thought this was a children's book, it was rather dark at times.  Full Review Mr. and Mrs. Darling are the proud yet rather dismissive and negligent parents of three children. Wendy, John and Michael. All three have flights of fancy and dream of an island, with mermaids and pirates. Mrs. Darling dismisses these as the whimsy of childhood but she herself remembers when she too dreamt of...
Post a Comment
Read more

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey

" Science Fiction at its most epically, horrific best. Mankind has colonized the galaxy and is reaching for the stars but something dark and fathomless waits in the recesses of space, biding its time and when it strikes, life itself will change." 5 Stars Pros:  Deep and likable characters for all their flaws and a story that grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go.  Cons:  Some parts were a little technical, like how many G's a ship was flying under and the spin of planets, but it didn't take away from the story too much.  Full Review:  Julette Andromeda Mao. The heiress to a lunar corporate dynasty who's decided to turn her back on her life of luxury and venture out into the solar system to find work and earn her keep.   Miller. A cynical, downtrodden but intelligent and resourceful cop who works out of the Ceres Station on the Belt.  Holden, the commanding officer of a water hauler that ships ice from the rings of Saturn to stations ...
Post a Comment
Read more