Music, art, photography, gardens, family and friends

In today's NY Times there is an article by Oliver Sachs, the neurologist who wrote the book on which the movie Awakenings with Robbin Williams was based. Sacks died in 2015 but his work lives on, as do you and I. (I'm pretty sure that I'm still here. You?)

Musicophelia is another work by Sachs and which discusses how music affects people with Parkinson's disease. If you have Parkinson's disease, chances are you have grown a stronger appreciation and maybe even some skills in music, art,  writing or some other artistic pursuit. I've covered my experience with photography in this blog and I assure you this continues as an obsession that is now the heart of my daily existence. But I digress...

The  Times article describes Dr. Sachs' experience with his Parkinson's patients and their visits to gardens. Just taking a walk in a garden or garden environment has enabled Parkinson patients to overcome their symptoms while there. Music has had that affect on me at times. It's like the puzzle of my body is solved by the beat of the music. Coincidently, I live in a garden community that is more like a park than a New York City neighborhood, which it is. I love being outdoors this time of year. I'm going to test Dr. Sachs' findings. Could where you live affect how well you manage PD symptoms? 

Beyond the documented benefits explored by Dr. Sachs, I have an additional dimension that I continue to experience as having a positive affect on my life with this fucking disease. (Please allow me to express exactly how I feel.) And that is the affect some people have on my life. Family is part of it, but it goes beyond. And I am so very fortunate to have this benefit.

Photo  is a late morning fog lifting at Hudson Yards. 

Sleep as Though Your Life Depends on It. Because it does!

In my last blog, we noted lack of sleep as stress, and stress as a bad thing for anyone with or without Parkinson's. I did more reading about stress and its huge negative impact on our health. The book is Mind to Matter by Dawson Church. It is not easy reading because it is quite technical in its presentation. He wrote a second, short book that summarizes the findings reported in the main text if technical is not your thing. The main theme is the identification of electromagnetic waves, including those generated by our brains, as playing a major role in determining our health. (Stop yawning and keep reading.) There is a lot of documentation on how certain wavelengths that are associated with sleep are also effective as relieving stress that contributes to at least the symptoms and possibly even causes of all kinds of diseases including Alzheimer's, cancer and Parkinson's. Less stress, fewer and milder symptoms. Stress management is explained with specific programs in detail including EFT and Tapping. More about this stuff after I have more experience with it.

Deep sleep produces the best wavelengths to relieve stress. So if you want the easiest lazy man or woman program to resist PD, just find a way to sleep deeply and do it as often as you can. I'm not kidding. Do this as though your life depends on it. Because it does. In addition to EFT and Tapping, try CBD gummies and marijuana to relieve stress and promote deep sleep. This seems to be helping but I need more experience before endorsing it myself. Not that anyone gives a shit about what I endorse. But I don't believe everything I read, even when I write it. That may be because sometimes I write shit just to be funny that is hard to believe. But even taking that into account, you need to take sleep seriously. Seriously.

Say hi to my grandson, Nevan.

Sleep.

In continuing the last blog's train of thought, the next most important leg is getting the right amount of sleep. I don't know the medical reasons why sleep is so important, but there are doctors and other researchers who have spent their entire careers studying the science of sleep. (These people must be a riot at parties!) When it comes to sleep,nobody knows more than you and I do on what sleep or the lack thereof, means to a Parkinson's disease person. If I don't get enough sleep., I will not function. It's like the meds don't work. If I have a busy day planned, I know that it will not be a good day unless I get good sleep the night before.

This may also be true for people without PD, but I wouldn't know that now, would I? My guess is that Parkinson's amplifies the impact of a sleep deficit on a person. And its a matter of knowing your body and how it reacts to various stresses. Lack of sleep is a serious stress.

PD requires a certain amount of planning your schedule around sleep. I try to avoid multiple days on the go  by interspersing a day of rest at least every two or three days, or planning a shorter day for all the days on the go, like on vacation. I took the photo below the last time I visited Chicago. Can't wait to return soon.