(63) Hindsight for Foresight (Phase 3)

PHASE 3: LIFE & PARKINSON'S (2018-2020)

I ended Post 62 with thoughts of self-pity and feelings of insecurity, perhaps because I was reflecting on 2017 as the end of a fulfilling academic life in higher education since 1977. Also, between 2013-2017, in an attempt to deal with Parkinson's without medication, I had a physically active life. So, why was I suddenly insecure in 2018? 

Maybe I was attempting to suppress my emotions due to the visible signs of nearly six years of Parkinson's Disease (PD). I am referring to PD's motor symptoms (slowed movement, tremors, stooping, poor gait and freezing). I became self-conscious in public spaces and I am still experiencing that! My new reality was probably the cause of my growing sense of anxiety. Sadly, my anxiousness affected my wife too. I needed to locate a reset/restart button, and I did...

In 2018/2019 I discovered a physical activity to kickstart my waning energy levels: dance classes for PD people like me. I was excited about a challenge for the first time in years! The weekly class in Pretoria was led by a trained Dance for Parkinson's teacher MarnaB, who was passionate about us and her teaching. Dance activities were a combination of seated, standing, solo and group exercises with appropriate music and instructions. I was relaxed, less anxious and challenging PD again. Dance for Parkinson's (DfP) is based in New York city and offers regular online DfP classes.

Unfortunately, there is still no physical DfP class in Durban. The online class is convenient but it's not engaging. The live dance class in Pretoria allowed me to share time (e.g. group coffee dates), space and energy with other People with Parkinson's (PwP), which one cannot experience in an online class, right? But, like the online 25-minute Gentle Chair Yoga and the 5 Minute Tai Chi, online DfP is a great option for PwP, especially when fighting PD with regular exercise.

ANXIETY & PARKINSON'S

A brief detour before we return to my PD story, dear reader. I will try to unpack anxiety and PD in the most accessible way that I can...

According to Dissanayaka, Torbey & Pachana (2015) "While assessment of depression in PD has been a focus of clinical research for the past decade, assessment of anxiety in PD has only received attention very recently, despite the high prevalence of anxiety in PD." Their literature search identified nine scales with which to measure and then grade anxiety and depression, including a new Parkinson's Anxiety Scale (PAS) for PwP. However, this PAS excludes those with dementia. 

The authors acknowledge the PAS usefulness and believe it's a valid instrument to measure anxiety. However, they observe that more should be done regarding examining levels of anxiety in the "off" period during PD medication times. Also, in their scan of available research, they note there is no indication of physiological change or accompanying signs and symptoms in PwP during these "off" periods. Hence, they believe that additional research is needed to develop more appropriate instruments to measure anxiety in PwP. 

Khatri, et al. (2020) agree with this in their article: Anxiety: an ignored aspect of Parkinson's Disease lacking attention. They suggest that anxiety in PD has a negative effect on PwP and that anti-Parkinson's drugs like "...Levodopa provides symptomatic relief...[but] its effect on neuropsychiatric complications like anxiety is elusive. Presence of anxiety worsens the condition and challenges therapeutic management of the PD." 

This concern was addressed recently. In July 2025, a New York university psychologist received a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation to do further research into anxiety. Professor Bishop is of the opinion that there are "unique features of anxiety [that] suggest that it is organic and not simply a perception driven by disease diagnosis." Such anxiety features actually echo the earlier concern of Khatri, et al. (2020) and include research into "autonomic symptoms, such as sweating, a racing heart or physical nervousness".

A graphic abstract of what Khatri, et al. (2020) describe as the "Mechanisms involved" in creating anxiety and examples of a possible "Therapeutic strategy" is below. Their main concern with a purely Pharmacological treatment of anxiety is the possibility of severe side effects while the PD continues unchecked. Hence they suggest one should consider "Complementary therapies". 

I have tried complementary therapies and suggest that PwP look into Ayurveda as well as the effect of Meditation (mindful meditation or transcendental meditation) as additional support to lessen the effects of PD. I am unable to comment on a "Non-Pharmacological Approach" such as DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) but have added a link to some info. The same applies to CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) as well as TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation).

 

Another "complementary therapy" is acupuncture. According to Pinto (2022), in Regular Acupuncture seen to ease Anxiety in Parkinson's Patients, PwP "...who underwent acupuncture for eight weeks had significantly lower levels of anxiety...than those who received a sham procedure, a clinical trial from China reported." Meditation or Ayurveda may be worth trying if it provides relief.

   

A further example of complementary support to ease the effects of PD is to indulge in the creative arts - the visual arts and music - as therapy. Like my joy upon discovering DfP in Pretoria, Inácio (2025), in Creative Arts Therapy can ease Anxiety in Parkinson's... reports that while motor symptoms may be addressed with anti-Parkinson's medication, "Parkinson’s can lead to nonmotor symptoms that significantly impact [the life of PwP, and] may include cognitive decline, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety." According to the Inácio (2025) report, a European team (Austria-Netherlands) is now attempting to "bridge medical and arts-based practices, ensuring that our intervention is both practical and meaningful for individuals with [PD]...". Interesting!

For visual learners like myself, dear reader, here is a short video on Anxiety and PD. Anxiety is appropriately described here as a "non-movement symptom of PD".

MY PARKINSON'S JOURNEY: 2020-2024

On 23 March 2020, while my wife and I were on vacation, President Ramaphosa announced a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. The lockdown and ban on all local and inter-provincial travel was to commence on 27 March. Unfortunately, we were 3.5 hours from Pretoria and 3.5 hours from Durban. Solution: travel to Durban and start my retirement there.  

Parkinson's and Photobiomodulation (PBM)

In 2019, a relative (OM) informed me of a Carte Blanche TV documentary on light therapy (see the video), also known as photobiomodulation (PBM). A Durban neurologist, Dr Bhanjan, was using low level infrared light to treat a number of conditions, including PD, at the Durban Neurolaser Clinic. I was curious and enquired but they had a waiting period of 5 months. However, by March 2020 many people had cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions and so, I was able to get an appointment in April 2020: a serendipitous event... 

In Post 11 (there's a link) I describe the initial introduction to PBM, my scepticism leading to an acceptance of this therapy. After deciding to stay Parkinson's-drug free for since 2013, I noted a high degree of "scoffticism" :-) from many experts in medical science regarding my opting for complementary therapy. They needed evidence-based research and clinical trials of PBM before they would approve. I know an eighty-year old pharmacist (AC) with first-hand knowledge of PD but have yet to meet medical specialists with PD! My experience is merely anecdotal :-(.

My argument is the following: I have lived with Parkinson's and I have first-hand knowledge of both PD's impact on me as well as that of any alternative/complementary therapy (such as ankle weights, fidget spinners, music, dance, cycling or PBM) so I approve when it works for me! 

I reflected on the impact of photobiomodulation on me in Post 13 and a summary appears below: 

  

"DURING PBM THERAPY (period: 05-29 May, 2020)  

(i) I experienced a sense of my brain coming online again - it was the old "me".

(ii) The resting tremors subsided during therapy.

(iii) My right hand dominance returned from time to time, a pleasant surprise. 

(iv) My right leg was less "leaden" and more responsive.

(v) I stopped using a walking stick to walk from the car to the neurologist's rooms.

(vi) I often slept through the night.

(vii) (👍  I was more confident and more active.)

AFTER PBM THERAPY (period: 30 May to 08 July 2020)

(i) I feel I am in charge of my thinking again - there's more "me" and less "intruder". 

(ii) The resting tremors are worse and occasionally more intense.

(iii) I continue to experience deteriorating muscle coordination, especially my right side.

(iv) When I walk I have started to drag my right foot as I did before therapy.

(v) I have become more reliant on my walking stick.

(vi) Seldom do I sleep through the night.

(vii) (👎  I have assumed PBM would lessen the effects of PD so I've not been exercising.)"

The fourteen observations above (May-July 2020) gave me some insight into my intruder, PD, and how difficult it was to devise a plan of attack. There were some positives but there were negatives too. I had to believe in the big picture and be consistent.

The most positive outcome of my investment in a year's PBM is that my confidence had returned and that this Blog was launched in March 2020. Till August 2025, worldwide, I have had 21,355 visitors to my posts and that warms my heart, dear readers.

Ayurveda

In 2022, after 10 years of being Parkinson's-drug free I opted for the Ayurveda approach to PD. 

There was a lifestyle change involving the following: a diet avoiding certain flour and bread; avoiding stimulants such as coffee and alcohol; avoiding certain milks; avoiding processed food; deep breathing exercises; PD stretches/exercises; and meditation. Eating should be carefully paced and enjoyed rather than rushed.

In addition there were herbal remedies to take daily: two capsules daily to relieve stress (Ashwagandha); two capsules daily for anxiety and to assist the memory (Brahmi); and three capsules daily to assist with dopamine replacement (HP500).   

 

Unfortunately, the HP500 only worked for me from January 2002 till March/April 2025, when I stopped taking it. (In Post 64 I will elaborate why I stopped.) However, I am still taking the other two herbal remedies, I meditate, I am doing the breathing exercises and still avoiding certain foods and ingredients. 

Caregiver

In 2022 my wife hired a caregiver who, over the years, had been working with PwP. Besides being a companion and responsible for my well-being, she has created in me a sense of independence. Although she only works for two-thirds of the day, she constantly reminds me what I ought to be doing, and I appreciate that! On weekends and late afternoons I regularly go for short walks on my own, because she has made me feel more confident than before.  

SUMMARY

I had been fighting PD for 9 years without any herbal remedies or pharma products. I believe my body and mind has been building up a form of resistance to PD during that time. All those experiences have generated a cloak of physiological and psychological stubbornness when it comes to my fighting Parkinson's. Unfortunately, the Ayurveda approach was an unsuccessful three-year attempt to control PD.  

CONCLUSION  I am 73 years old. I was diagnosed with PD when I was 61 and I believe it could be due to (1) unconsciously inhaling industrial chemicals (wheel cleaner, paint and glue) and (2) trauma. (2.1) I must have had a platoon of the Parkinson's army infecting my brain from the time of my car accident in 1956/57. (2.2) The Parkinson's army regrouped in 1999 when our son died. (2.3) Then they started actively recruiting a new army in 2012 when I had to take early retirement from a job. So, Ayurveda had an uphill battle for three years. Then Parkinson's took control in 2025 and I was forced to engage a-Pd to survive! 

The concluding a-Pd episode (Phase 4) will be unpacked in Post 64. Take care and be safe till next time, dear reader.

   

(62) Hindsight for Foresight (Phase 2)

PHASE 2 - REVISITING LIFE & PARKINSON'S

In Post 61 I wrote that I would spend the next three posts on "HINDSIGHT", regarding my new life with Parkinson's, continuing with events and revelations after my first diagnosis mid-2013. So, dear reader, let's proceed...

A medical diagnosis involving a patient and a medical specialist, is an event filled with many questions and some answers. Identifying the specific condition or disease relies - in my non-medical opinion (IMN-MO) - on the specialist's expertise and depth of understanding. This 'depth' is also based on how wide is the range of the specialist's knowledge. So, for example, I would assume that a Urologist would know a lot about the prostate gland and prostate cancer, but an Oncologist would have greater 'depth' and know what treatment would be the most appropriate in the field of prostate cancer. This view is IMN-MO!

Predicting what will happen to the patient and the disease or condition, namely, the prognosis, is also, IMN-MO, reliant on the range and the currency of the specialists' knowledge, especially in the case of Parkinson's Disease (PD).

I believe that when some Neurologists come across a case of PD, the inclination to offer a stock/ standard diagnosis is greater than their willingness to consider alternative diagnoses. One example is the diagnosis of actor Robin Williams in the USA. Robin's initial diagnosis indicated that he had PD but after his death by suicide in 2014, a post mortem requested by his wife showed that the actor actually had Lewy Body Dementia (LBD): an unfortunate diagnosis in a First-World country! Let's connect some dots...

😔😕😖

2013 🔎

In 2013 the diagnosis of my condition by Neurologist DrK (Gauteng Province - see EXCERPT below) was that I was a Person/s with Parkinson's (PwP) and I should be on an anti-Parkinson's drug regime. I was concerned about the side-effects and these drugs' unpredictability, based on published anecdotal evidence as well as research.

EXCERPT: POST 50 ✄✄✄ "...my wife and I entered his consulting rooms. He had a brief chat and then he asked me for the MRI images. I gave him the envelope and waited in anticipation. He spent a minute studying the scan then asked me to walk across the room and back to my seat. Then he observed:

1. The MRI scan was "clear", so he could rule out any other conditions, such as a tumor;
2. However, my walking action indicated that I had Parkinson's Disease (PD): I was dragging my right leg slightly, not swinging my right arm and PD could be the reason for my "leg tremor"; and
3. He prescribed chronic medication for my PD - I accepted the diagnosis but indicated my unwillingness to use the prescription, due to generally unpredictable side effects of PD drugs.

This Neurologist's instant diagnosis based on my walking was impressive and got me thinking. I was at the pinnacle of my career after 36 years in higher education...when challenges emerged, [I would always respond by considerations] based on the familiar (stuff I would have known for a long time) and with what I was comfortable (stuff that would not lead to confrontation)...".✄✄✄

That Neurologist DrK (2013), as well as DrB1 (KZN) 2020 and DrB2 (KZN) 2023 made me feel distinctly "disabled" with the manner and content of their diagnoses. A certain DrP (KZN) 2025 was the most empathetic and professional of them all and I respected his diagnosis of my condition! For the first time I felt comfortable and believed I could trust a Neurologist.

Let's focus on the challenge of weakening physical ability as a result of being parkinsed and my instinctive response, based on many years of enjoying physical activities. Since 1980 I had been a modern dance teacher, a regular power walker, a squash and table-tennis player, a hiker, a gardener and a DIY enthusiast. I thrived on physical activities, until PD hijacked me!

😔😕😖

2014->2020 🔎

Although the neurologist DrK did not use the term in my 2013 diagnosis, I gradually became aware that PD is one of a group of diseases that generated a physical challenge and, therefore, is regarded as a Movement Disorder. So, I started to wonder if physical exercise might keep the PD at bay and keep me less physically challenged for a longer period. This would be in lieu of chronic PD medication.

Between 2013 and 2017 I was based at a South African university in Pretoria, Gauteng Province, that is about 1340m above sea level. I worked in a large cluster of multi-storeyed buildings with long corridors and stair access to each of the floors. From 2014 I consciously focused on my physical ability and spent most of my work time walking in the corridors and up and down stairs rather than using the lift or escalator to attend meetings with individual staff or departments or to go to facilitate staff training sessions. Naturally, lunchtimes could be used for long walks outside the buildings that were located on a huge campus (see pictures). 

I supplemented my physical exercises with large and small-scale equipment (see below).

WEIGHTS During my corridor and stair walks in 2014 I became aware that my right leg was dragging more than usual and my right arm was not swinging as freely as my left. (= DrK's diagnosis!) So, I decided to "remind" my right arm and leg that it was not allowed to remain motionless: I bought wrist/ankle weights.

They were actually bags of a specific weight that are filled with sand and are attached to the body (ankle or wrist) with velcro straps. My logic was that while walking, the added weight was to remind me to swing my right arm and my right leg. It worked really well from 2013-2017 and I recommended this to other PwP.

 

TREADMILL I supplemented this with regular walking on a treadmill at a gym that forced me to walk at constant speeds for longer periods than normal walking. The treadmill encourages consistency and concentration compared to normal walking. This is especially good for those with PD and who can afford a gym membership.

The underlying advantage is the positive impact of cardiovascular health and improved blood circulation. While the treadmill did little for my arm-swinging, the constant leg and foot movements are great for us PwP.

ARMCHAIR For those who are retired, unemployed or can't afford the gym, an armchair is useful for stretching the legs, spine and diaphragm. The chair needs to be sturdy so a camping chair is not an option. 

 

I enjoy stretching. After cycling I grip each of the chair's arms and then raise both legs straight in front of me, parallel to and as high off the floor as possible while pointing my toes up towards the ceiling for 15 counts and then down pointing towards the wall for 15 counts. Then, while still holding the chair's arms I kick outwards with each foot for at least 30 counts each. Another simple challenge is to stand-up and then sit down with a straight back for 20 counts at a time. This is a great diaphragm/tummy exercise for us PwP.

PD CYCLING The Threshold mini cycle is 35cm high and 40cm wide so it may be placed under a table for cycling and is easy to store. As it weighs just under 9kg it is relatively easy to lift onto a higher surface for cycling using one's arms. 

The mini bike mechanism - a magnetic flywheel - is quiet and has 10 levels of resistance. I am currently able to cycle for between 20 and 30 minutes daily. As I am not able to maintain balance on a saddle this mini-bike is ideal as it allows me to sit on a chair and cycle: yay! 

FIDGET SPINNER My fingers are not exercised enough so my grandchildren introduced me to the fidget spinner (⬅video demo of action). It is about five centimetres square and has three weighted circular rings that spin around a central pivot point that is perfectly balanced on central ball bearings.

I am able to spin and balance the fidget spinner on each of the fingers of my left hand but only on two fingers of my right hand (my PD started on my right side). I use this daily.

PUZZLE CUBE My grandchildren also introduced me to something similar to the cube in this picture. Its action is similar to the revolving action and problem solving function of Rubik's cube. As my fingers on the right hand are generally stiff because of inaction, such a cube used daily is very helpful. I use it with both the left and right hands and although my fingers get a little sore the exercise is great.

ELASTIC BAND Playing with a thick elastic band by getting your fingers to stretch the band - with individual fingers or all five simultaneously - is also effective when you are seated and inactive. 

Squeezing a STRESS BALL - something I also do daily - has a similar outcome.

CONCLUDING "DIAGNOSIS"

I retired in December 2017.  Relaxed and at home, I went on a diet of large helpings of PD-pity, with occasional side-dishes of self-pity till we left our inland Pretoria home to settle on the east coast in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal in March 2020. Durban is also the home of our daughter and our grandchildren. In addition, this move coincided with the start of the COVID-19 lockdown period. 

Between 2018 and 2020, during retirement, I was unable to sustain my physical activities and I became an indulgent eater and drinker. My weight shot up from 78kg to 92kg. And the PD started to get worse. Sigh! So, in Durban, in 2020, I took stock of myself and my PD diagnosis and I decided to enter a new phase.  

This is the end of Phase 2. If my story continues to draw your attention, dear reader, then I look forward to your accessing Phase 3. Stay well and safe till next time...