I have had Parkinson’s disease (PD) for 22 years. I am told I have a mild case, but it is still my PD, and I live with it 24/7. It would be a gross understatement to say my life was changed forever. Interestingly, many of these changes have made me a more compassionate, empathetic, and caring person. In part, this book was motivated by the following premise: Many of us will experience a life-changing event that will cause us to pause and reassess where we are, what we do, and why we do it. For some, it might be the death of a loved one or a personal tragedy. Or it might be a re-awakening - that a-ha moment. For me, it was January 2, 1995, when myneurologist said, “Mr. Spekman, I have some bad news for you - you have Parkinson’s.” My life as I knew it crumpled around me.

I could have wallowed in self-pity, but I am a fighter and chose eventually to manage my PD. I have adopted a number of Eastern non-traditional approaches to deal with my PD. I have a yoga practice, meditate daily, andengage in massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic adjustments. All these different approaches complement my medication, and all contribute to my being very healthy, given the length of time I have had Parkinson’s. I will take you on a journey, my journey, starting with denial to depression to finally, acceptance.

This book is more than the story of one man’s journey with PD; it is a story of hope and personal transformation. If you permit me, I am going to take you on a journey that began over two decades ago. I have years to travel so do not ask where the destination is or ask if we are there yet. During the course of this book, I will share with you aspects of my life that were previously known to only a small number of people. It is through this intimacy that you will come to better understand and hopefully better deal with adversity that might affect your life.