Taking on Parkinson's - Paperback

by Dennis Jay O'Donnell (Author)

Practicality and a large dose of humor ... Taking on Parkinson's is one man's journey to lead a full life with PD by tackling and adapting to the disease's physical and emotional idiosyncrasies. Diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 54, this retired economist has dealt with every difficulty the chronic disease has thrown at him with practicality and a large dose of humor. Instructed by his wife that they were going to "do something outside your comfort zone every year," Dennis O'Donnell has dealt with airline rigmarole, zip lining freedom, freezing and trembling during handball, grandchildren who see him as an overgrown playmate, and being bodily lifted into a rocking catamaran in the Caribbean by a woman barely half his size -- all in the name of keeping on keeping on. He talks about facing the same problems as others affected by the disease: the early signs of Parkinson's, Parkinson's disease gait, freezing in place, unexpected emotions, side effects of PD medication and the intricacies of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). The book gives the Parkinson's disease patient and the Parkinson's caregiver a jargon-free glimpse of what PD is like and how life can be fully lived in spite of this -- at the moment -- incurable disease.

Author Biography

I was committed to helping people with disabilities. I just never imagined I would be one. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease when he was 54, Dennis O'Donnell has spent the time since adapting to its changes, but never giving up on living life to its fullest possibilities. Dennis O'Donnell was born in Colorado and grew up in Colorado Springs. He received his B.S. and M.A. in economics from Colorado State University and his Ph.D in economics from Penn State University. A longtime resident of Montana, Dr. O'Donnell served as a professor of economics at the University of Montana in Missoula and as a nationally recognized economics expert witness for over three decades. His academic work took him to places throughout the U.S. and abroad. Since his retirement, he has challenged his body and mind to do as much as he physically can, adopting his wife's philosophy to do one thing a year that is scary. When not working to keep Parkinson's at bay with the best medical, mental and physical tactics he can leverage or experiencing his latest adventure, he enjoys playing with his four grandchildren. "Taking on Parkinson's" is his first book.