Living With Parkinson's
- Christine Jeyachandran was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at age 37 after becoming oddly uncoordinated while doing simple daily tasks.
- Parkinson's is a chronic illness that impacts the nervous system. Over time, more symptoms start to appear in the body. There is currently no cure for Parkinson's, but researchers like those at The Michael J. Fox Foundation are working to change that.
- If you or someone you know is battling Parkinson's disease or cancer, it's important to know that you are not alone.
- Christine Jeyachandran has her husband and three children by her side but you don't have to have a big family to get the support you need during a battle with disease.
Now, a World Congress Parkinson Ambassador, the now 46-year-old mom of three who took up gymnastics to combat symptoms associated with the disease, is sharing her story to spread awareness for the disease.
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She initially went to a doctor in Peru and underwent testing, only to be told nothing was wrong with her. Then she was referred to a neurologist, who ultimately informed her she had Parkinson’s.
“I went to the neurologist, and once the tests came back, he said: 'From the moment you walked into the room I knew you had Parkinson's because your left arm didn't swing when you walked and your foot slapped the floor,'” Jeyachandran, who later learned she had a tremor, explained.
Describing how she felt when she was told she had a degenerative disease, the public speaker and research advocate said, “It was really hard to cope with it in the sense [we didn't know what to expect] and every time I took a step I felt like my foot was screaming as me 'you have Parkinson's, you have Parkinson's.’ I felt like I could never forget.”
Jeyachandran recounted having more difficulty moving her body over the next four years of her life, often tripping and falling on her face due to her uncoordinated feet and decreased flexibility in her arms to catch her from her falls.
Once she returned to Australia, she decided it would be best to take up a sport to strengthen her body. Since her children partook in gymnastics, Jeyachandran thought it would be a great idea to take adult classes at the gymnasium.
Ten months into practicing the sport, she built up the strength to perform a handstand at the World Parkinson's Conference in 2019.
"I worked harder at the gym, and I spent more time there than I ever expected. I learned to climb the rope, and all sorts of other things," Jeyachandran, who has also enrolled in dance classes and pilates, said. “I started to realize how powerful the body is I feel like it's so much more powerful than people give it credit for, it's all about the mind. I really want people to understand that, pushing their bodies slowly to do more than they ever thought."
Now, she’s an inspiration to anyone living with Parkinson’s and is living proof that exercise can help delay the disease from progressing.
In addition to increasing her physical activity, Jeyachandran credits the medication she’s been on since 2014 as essential in keeping the degenerative disease somewhat controlled.
Jeyachandran knows that people with Parkinson’s may deal with depression, struggle to get exercise and maintain community involvement, so she’s urging anyone battling this illness “don’t worry about the illness,” and stay involved in the community.
On her website, Handstand for Parkinson’s, Jeyachandran is open about the physical challenges she faces and hopes to inspire others to donate to Shake it up Australia and The World Parkinson Congress (The World Parkinson Coalition) to help find a cure.
“My left hand shakes so people think I'm nervous. Parkinson's has damaged my ability to walk and my foot drags,” she writes. “My left arm/ hand also doesn't move as it should and it trembles. I need to exercise regularly, which is time-consuming, to keep my body from degenerating.”
She adds, “Sometimes I'm tempted to question why I have Parkinson's but in the end, it doesn't really matter why but I do know that God has a purpose for me in this. I know that I can be an encouragement to others. I have shared my story with many and serve God despite the hardships of life.”
What Is Parkinson's?
Parkinson's is a chronic illness that affects the nervous system. As time passes, more symptoms start to show up in the body. Although there is currently no cure for this degenerative disease, researchers like those at The Michael J. Fox Foundation are trying to change that.
RELATED: Michael J. Fox, Who's Lived a Decades-Long Parkinson's Journey, Focuses on Gratitude & Joy
Medications can be taken to reduce and control some symptoms of Parkinson's. Some of these medications include dopamine promoters, antidepressants, cognition-enhancing medication, and anti-tremor medication.
For those dealing with a disease like Parkinson's on a daily basis, actor Michael J. Fox who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's in 1991 when he was just 29 years old previously shared some advice during his AARP interview, saying, "Have an active life and do not let yourself get isolated and marginalized. You can live with it. People sometimes say that a relative or a parent or a friend died of Parkinson's. You don't die of  Parkinson's. You die with Parkinson's, because once you have it, you have it for life until we can remedy that, and we're working hard at it."
Prioritizing Mental Health & Acceptance After a Diagnosis
“So, to live with it, you need to exercise and be in shape and to eat well,” Fox says. “If you can't drive, find a way to get around. Maintain friendships. Don't say, 'Oh, I don't have anything to say to Bob.' Bob might have something to say to you. Just make the call.”
Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
Signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease can often seem innocuous and go unnoticed as they could potentially be attributed to other things. According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the four main symptoms of Parkinson’s are:
- A tremor in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head
- Muscle stiffness, where muscle remains contracted for a long time
- Slowness of movement
- Impaired balance and coordination, sometimes leading to falls
Other symptoms can include:
- Depression and other emotional changes
- Difficulty swallowing, chewing, and speaking
- Urinary problems or constipation
- Skin problems
Symptoms of Parkinson’s can vary from person to person, as well as the rate of the disease’s progression.
“Early symptoms of this disease are subtle and occur gradually. For example, people may feel mild tremors or have difficulty getting out of a chair. They may notice that they speak too softly, or that their handwriting is slow and looks cramped or small,” the NIA explains. “Friends or family members may be the first to notice changes in someone with early Parkinson's. They may see that the person's face lacks expression and animation, or that the person does not move an arm or leg normally.”
Additionally, symptoms often start out on one side of a person’s body or in one limb, a symptom that eventually takes place on the other side of the body or limb.
Most people with Parkinson’s also develop a distinctive way of waking, which incorporates leaning forward, taking small, quick steps, and minimal arm swinging.
Feeling stiff and/or having a tremor is often noticed by people with Parkinson’s after having difficulty sleeping, noticing a loss of smell, restless legs, and constipation.
Finding the Support You Need
If you or someone you know is battling Parkinson's disease or cancer, it's important to know that you are not alone. Christine Jeyachandran has her husband and three children by her side but you don't have to have a big family to get the support you need during a battle with disease.
You can always find someone out there for you to be vulnerable with, if you'd like, and connecting with others while battling a disease can be life-changing.
Dealing With Grief Related to Health Problems
It’s completely normal to feel upset about how your life has changed after getting a diagnosis.
Dr. Scott Irwin, a psychiatrist and Director of Supportive Care Services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet, “Grief comes in waves. They're grieving the change in their life, the future they had imagined is now different.”
Some days may be harder than others, but Dr. Irwin insists talk therapy is incredibly helpful so it's important to reach out to your doctor, to a therapist or to support groups in your community.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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