How does one deal with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease at the age of forty-three? My Degeneration, by former Anchorage Daily News staff cartoonist Peter Dunlap-Shohl, answers the question with humor and passion, recounting the author’s attempt to come to grips with the “malicious whimsy” of this chronic, progressive, and disabling disease. This graphic novel tracks Dunlap-Shohl’s journey through depression, the worsening symptoms of the disease, the juggling of medications and their side effects, the impact on relations with family and community, and the raft of mental and physical changes wrought by the malady. My Degeneration examines the current state of Parkinson’s care, including doctor/patient relations and the repercussions of a disease that, among other things, impairs movement, can rob patients of their ability to speak or write, degrades sufferers’ ability to deal with complexity, and interferes with the sense of balance. Readers learn what it’s like to undergo a dramatic, demanding, and audacious bit of high-tech brain surgery that can mysteriously restore much of a patient’s control over symptoms. But My Degeneration is more than a Parkinson’s memoir. Dunlap-Shohl gives the person newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease the information necessary to cope with it on a day-to-day basis. He chronicles the changes that life with the disease can bring to the way one sees the world and the way one is seen by the wider community. Dunlap-Shohl imparts a realistic basis for hope—hope not only to carry on, but to enjoy a decent quality of life.

Culturally powerful ideas of normalcy and deviation, individual responsibility, and what is medically feasible shape the ways in which we live with illness and disability. The essays in this volume show how illness narratives expressed in a variety of forms—biographical essays, fictional texts, cartoons, graphic novels, and comics—reflect on and grapple with the fact that these human experiences are socially embedded and culturally shaped. Works of fiction addressing the impact of an illness or disability; autobiographies and memoirs exploring an experience of medical treatment; and comics that portray illness or disability from the perspective of patient, family member, or caregiver: all of these narratives forge a specific aesthetic in order to communicate their understanding of the human condition. This collection demonstrates what can emerge when scholars and artists interested in fiction, life-writing, and comics collaborate to explore how various media portray illness, medical treatment, and disability. Rather than stopping at the limits of genre or medium, the essays talk across fields, exploring together how works in these different forms craft narratives and aesthetics to negotiate contention and build community around those experiences and to discover how the knowledge and experiences of illness and disability circulate within the realms of medicine, art, the personal, and the cultural. Ultimately, they demonstrate a common purpose: to examine the ways comics and literary texts build an audience and galvanize not just empathy but also action. In addition to the editors, the contributors to this volume include Einat Avrahami, Maureen Burdock, Elizabeth J. Donaldson, Ariela Freedman, Rieke Jordan, stef lenk, Leah Misemer, Tahneer Oksman, Nina Schmidt, and Helen Spandler. Chapter 7, “Crafting Psychiatric Contention Through Single-Panel Cartoons,” by Helen Spandler, is available as Open Access courtesy of a grant from the Wellcome Trust. A link to the OA version of this chapter is forthcoming.

Inspiring guide on both the basics of the illness and ways to stay more active from two unique perspectives--that of a physician and as a person with Parkinson's.

They say, "It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness." Peter Dunlap-Shohl counters, "Why not do both? At the age of forty-three, former Anchorage Daily News staff cartoonist Dunlap-Shohl was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a disorder that, among other things, can rob a person of their ability to speak or write and degrades their ability to deal with complexity. In My Degeneration, Dunlap-Shohl recounts his attempt to come to grips with the "malicious whimsy" of this chronic, progressive, and disabling disorder with his characteristic humor and passion. This graphic novel tracks the author's journey through depression, juggling medications and weathering their side effects, the impact of the diagnosis on his personal relationships, and the raft of mental and physical changes wrought by the disease. But My Degeneration is more than a memoir--Dunlap-Shohl gives the person newly diagnosed with Parkinson's disease the information necessary to cope with it on a day-to-day basis. He chronicles the changes that life with the disorder can bring to the way one sees the world and the way one is seen by the wider community. Above all, Dunlap-Shohl imparts a realistic basis for hope--hope not only to carry on but to enjoy a decent quality of life.

A diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is as disorienting as it is devastating. The Complete Guide for People With Parkinson’s Disease and Their Loved Ones helps make sense of what comes next and what can be done, not just for those suffering from the disease but for their family and friends as well. A trained nurse and primary caregiver for her mother, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, Lianna Marie draws upon over twenty years of education, research, and direct experience. Written in straightforward and easily accessible language, this essential guide aims to help patients better understand their role in their treatment so that they may continue to lead happy and hopeful lives. Topics covered include nutrition and exercise, alternative and complementary therapies, medication and treatment, and what caregivers can do to help. Written by an international expert on Parkinson’s who has confronted the disease firsthand, The Complete Guide serves as the go-to book for comprehensive, easy-to-understand information for all Parkinson’s patients and their loved ones.

Chronicles an older woman's unorthodox approach to managing PD. She tells stories, encouraging patients to draw from her experiences points that are relevant to their own lives. She doesn't hide. Hallucinations, constipation, compulsive behaviors, and loss are all part of the picture. So is the emotion of standing on the roof of Africa, dipping her bike wheel in the Mississippi after cycling across Iowa for seven days and paying careful attention as her two year old granddaughter explains how to stop her "dancing hand". Each story is laced with courage, tenacity and love. "Nan shows how even the most challenging obstacles life puts in front of us can be stepping stones to something greater than we ever dreamed!" Linna Dossett Patient efficacy, having some control over her personal Parkinson's path, distinguishes this book from other medical memoirs. Nan encourages patients to take action based on scientific research with measurable outcomes. "You have Parkinson's disease." Those few words throw a person on an ice sheet with no ice axe to arrest the slide. Nan's story can be an ice axe. An estimated 1-1.5 million Americans live with Parkinson's with an additional 50,000-60,000 diagnosed each year, numbers growing as the population ages. Globally, this chronic neurodegenerative disease currently affects about 5 million. Although this book is about her experiences with Parkinson's, it is appropriate for any person who endures a neurodegenerative disease, and those who work with them or care about them.