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Life with Parkinson’s Disease

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Dr. Thomas Graboys is a physician battling a particularly aggressive form of Parkinson’s disease and progressive dementia. His new memoir about dealing with his illness is Life in the Balance: A Physician's Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss with Parkinson's Disease and Dementia.

Weigh in: We'd like to hear from other people with Parkinson's. Tell us about your experiences with the disease, and whether you've been able to continue to live a relatively normal life.


Comments

  • [1] chestinee from Midtown April 10, 2008 - 12:50PM

    I wonder if the doctor is familiar with Continuum's protocols, (Emilie Conrad) which were presented for the first time last year at Harvard's first faschia conference (ergo the discoveries are not so easy to dismiss any more). Maybe very very interesting to him. Some amazing recoveries have come about - this is an outgrowth of the artform she was pursuing in the 50s. No need to ask on air - he just might be interested in finding out about this.


  • [2] Chris O from New York April 10, 2008 - 12:56PM

    I appreciate this conversation. It is very real, very intense. I respect your guest a great deal.


  • [3] thomas mccoy from cold spring, ny April 10, 2008 - 12:57PM

    I wonder if the good doctor is aware of the work of the parkinson's recovery project at http://pdrecovery.org/. There it is pointed out that the uncontrolable body movements of parkinson's sufferers are primarily side-effects of parkinson's drugs, not symptoms of parkinson's itself. This is suggested by Leonard's comments about Michael J. Fox.


  • [4] Jeff from ny April 10, 2008 - 12:59PM

    I've worked with many late-stage Parkinson's patients, and from this experience I found that the desire to end one's life is a common one among them. The inability, in a truly late-stage individual, to move one's body at all, coupled with dementia, must be akin to a vegetative state, or worse, trapped in one's own body. I understand this desire, and I think the government should consider the option as a sanctioned one.


  • [5] Dawn Gavin from Mohegan Lake, NY April 10, 2008 - 01:12PM

    I just wanted to say how much respect I have for you for your extremely sensitive handling of the author during the interview. You don't often hear such kindness and humanity in radio interviews.


  • [6] chestinee from Midtown April 10, 2008 - 01:38PM

    yes, ditto to Dawn Gavin's observation and thanks for both that sensitivity and the comment.


  • [7] Ken from Upper West Side April 10, 2008 - 11:35PM

    My favorite uncle died of Parkinson's a few years ago. It was difficult to listen, but one had to because of Dr. Graboys' great courage and Lenny's sensitivity, compassion and courage as well. It was a riveting interview.


  • [8] Larry from Brooklyn, NY April 11, 2008 - 08:17AM

    I appreciated this interview and have great

    respect and sympathy for the doctor. I tried

    to e-mail Dr. Graboys with some info I thought

    promising, but the e-mail addresses were

    apparently broken. If you do some web research

    on URIDINE, especially in combination with

    Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, it points to a

    possibly promising direction for treatment.

    The show has my e-mail address above if the

    doctor would like to receive my note.


  • [9] Maggie Lissy from White Plain, NY April 11, 2008 - 11:49AM

    I was heartbroken to listen to your interview yesterday. Dr. Graboys was my father's cardiologist for 7 years. He was a wonderful physician - warm, caring, compassionate and brilliant. This is a tragedy - personal and professional.


  • [10] Suzannah from Brooklyn, NY April 12, 2008 - 12:13PM

    This was a very powerful segment, for lack of a better word. My mother has Parkinson's and the honesty of the Doctor made me realize some feelings that probably reside behind my Mom's tough "life goes on" exterior. Thank you for the amazing interview!


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