Up in plenty of time to get to Gatwick. Probably enough time to walk to Gatwick, having been woken, as so often, around four by animals outside. This time it’s the sound of copulating hedgehogs in the road outside. Time
Snake oil or the elixir of life – telling the difference
Let me just say right away that I have a limited tolerance for outlandish claims made without adequate scientific support. Very limited tolerance. In fact I would go so far as to say that I’m practically allergic to pronunciations like
Better patient advocacy 5: The return of the Jedi
Let’s recap. In part one (standing on the shoulders of giants), I suggested that, although we had unalienable rights to represent ourselves and our interests, we often fell short of our scientific colleagues by failure to build upon existing knowledge
Better patient advocacy 4: A New Model Army
Whenever you mention the word advocacy in the context of an illness such as Parkinson’s, most people nod in recognition of same. We all know what advocacy is don’t we. It’s about raising public awareness, right? Well, yes and no.
Better patient advocacy. 3: The Dying of the Light.
Communication, in any form, is a two-way process. Even a monologue requires a degree of reciprocation. Without this it is meaningless, just words drifting out into space. The monologue requires reciprocity, an acknowledgement that it has been heard even if
Better Patient Advocacy. 2: Passing the Baton
Until the 1960s and the advent of L-dopa, the lot of a person diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease was a pretty miserable one. Typically six years from diagnosis to death, and six rather unattractive years at that. Progression was largely untouched
Better patient advocacy. 1: Standing on the shoulders of giants
It is an article of faith in science that discoveries build upon previous knowledge. Sir Isaac Newton, discoverer of gravity inter alia, expressed this better than most when he said “if I have seen further it is only by standing
Long distance flying with Parkinson’s: a cautionary tale.
Travelling is arduous even for the best prepared, keeping tabs on passport, currency, boarding cards and so on. Flying is, of all transports, perhaps the least passenger friendly. There is no time to make oneself comfortable while being herded like
Grand Rapids Diary 4
It’s the same every year. We put everything we have into this meeting – RALLYING TO THE CHALLENGE – each year. We burn the midnight oil. We meet and greet, we talk, we listen. And while the meeting goes on,
Grand Rapids Diary 3
You forget how tough these conference trips can be. Late nights and early mornings are okay when you’re young. But as the years mount up, each exacts a heavier toll. As you know, well those of you that read my