My Second Life: Living with Parkinson's Disease

Ian W. Toal is a registered nurse in Barrie, Ontario.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that
affects muscle movement. Over time, a person has more and more
difficulty moving and controlling motion of limbs. There is no cure for
the disease, and the treatments for it are imperfect. My Second Life
examines the author’s personal journey with Parkinson’s disease,
from early symptoms to diagnosis to treatment (which, in his case,
included neurosurgery).

A chronic illness like Parkinson’s imposes a somewhat predictable set
of restrictions on a person’s life. A wide range of daily activities,
most of which we take for granted, are affected by the disorder. Anger
and denial are common in the early stages, with some type of acceptance
usually occurring in the later stages. Harshaw was diagnosed at 37 (a
young age for onset of Parkinson’s), and the disease eventually forced
him into an early retirement.

That this book exists is testament to Harshaw’s perseverance. There
are, however, serious flaws. The explanations of Parkinson’s are
cursory, as are descriptions of the treatments. For example, Harshaw
introduces the term “blood-brain barrier” but fails to define it or
discuss its significance for the treatment of Parkinson’s. Frequently
he wanders into areas that have no relevance to Parkinson’s, relating
at one point the theft of coins from his mother’s personal belongings
(a footnote defining a reproduction coin is even inserted). With little
concrete information about Parkinson’s, no glossary or index, and no
references to support or information networks, My Second Life will
probably disappoint those seeking guidance on coping with Parkinson’s.