{"id":18,"date":"2024-08-02T20:18:41","date_gmt":"2024-08-03T00:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/?page_id=18"},"modified":"2024-09-04T18:51:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T22:51:47","slug":"my-journey","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/my-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"My journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-rounded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/media\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1093\" height=\"1547\" data-id=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_1249-3.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-284\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">MEDIA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium is-style-rounded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/speaking\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" data-id=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-703\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-270x270.jpg 270w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-192x192.jpg 192w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-180x180.jpg 180w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655-32x32.jpg 32w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cropped-img_0655.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>SPEAKING<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\"><strong>                                       <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am a physician, a USAF veteran, a triathlete, a wife and a mother. In early 2020, our family moved from Salt Lake City to Cleveland after my husband accepted an amazing opportunity at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), which is a public MD medical school in the Cleveland Area.&nbsp; NEOMED coincidently has a strong research focus in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson\u2019s and Alzheimers. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-today-show-october-2023\">Today Show &#8211; October, 2023<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Meet the Air Force vet with Parkinson\u2019s training for an Ironman\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5zTJNGVOoWI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once we arrived to Cleveland, I began looking for jobs as an anesthesiologist. I signed with Cleveland Clinic in March, 2020, 2 weeks before the start of the COVID pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; By November 2020, at the age of 46, life was starting to feel like we were getting towards a new normal. I was busy working and being a mom. One evening, while sitting on the couch with my family, I noticed that my left arm was shaking. At first it was more of a curiosity.&nbsp; I thought to myself that\u2019s weird, why would my arm just start shaking.&nbsp; I typed \u201cunilateral resting arm tremor\u201d into google, and the page that came up had one article about Parkinson\u2019s Disease after another.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was at that moment that my world just stopped.&nbsp; As I read more about Parkinson\u2019s disease, I realized that I had been having symptoms for years, that I chalked up to getting older or being super tired and over extended. &nbsp; I had been getting more and more stiff when getting out of bed in the morning and my neck would be so stiff, it&nbsp; was painful to turn my head, I would shuffle about for a few minutes until I got going, and then I would be fine.&nbsp; Going down stairs, I had starting going one step at a time because my left hip was so tight all the time.&nbsp; My husband was always getting on my case to finish my sentences, it turns out decreasing the volume of your voice at the end of sentences is very common in Parkinson\u2019s patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; The next day at work, I met with the hospital neurologist in the physician\u2019s lounge.&nbsp; He pulled me into a private room off the lounge and after hearing the story did a neuro exam and confirmed that I likley had Parkinson\u2019s disease, but ordered a few tests to rule out MS and Wilson&#8217;s disease.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-900x1200.jpg 900w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-450x600.jpg 450w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-300x400.jpg 300w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-150x200.jpg 150w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041-263x350.jpg 263w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0041.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 85vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dr. Lindenberg, the neurologist who diagnosed my PD in 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He said he would be happy to be my neurologist but highly recommend I also see a neurologist specializing in movement disorders. &nbsp; He called them the maestros of medications.&nbsp; That turned out to be exactly the case.&nbsp; About a month later, I was able to get an appointment to see Dr. Ben Walter at Cleveland Clinic\u2019s main campus.&nbsp; He confirmed that I had Parkinson\u2019s disease and started me on a dopamine agonist.&nbsp; It made the tremor less noticeable and I felt better but I had horrible side effects.&nbsp; It took multiple medication adjustments to get me to a point where my tremor was well controlled, my blood pressure was normal, my anxiety and depression were under control and I wasn\u2019t gaining weight because of the medications. &nbsp; I gained 30 pounds between 2020 and 2021.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; After my diagnosis I experienced crippling anxiety and depression for the first time in my life. &nbsp; I was told by one primary care doctor, that I should probably give up running because as a Parkinson\u2019s patient I was at increased risk of falling.&nbsp; I became so anxious, wasn\u2019t sleeping and ended up in a state of mind where I could not think clearly because I was so sleep deprived. On top of that, I wasn\u2019t doing the one thing that had gotten me through every other challenge in my life, exercise. &nbsp; I took about a month off work to figure it all out, meet with my neurologist, adjust my meds and then regroup and figure out a plan moving forward.&nbsp; I am so incredibly grateful for this.&nbsp; After some medication adjustments, having more time and energy to exercise, I was eager and ready to get back to work.&nbsp; I currently work 3-4 days per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Looking back, the period of time after my diagnosis followed the stages of grief. &nbsp; In my mind Parkinson\u2019s was a disease that affected older men, and every now and then someone younger might get it, but certainly not me.&nbsp; I was healthy, I had been active my whole life, I had no family history of Parkinson\u2019s disease, and now I visualized myself shuffling about and being disabled in a few short years.&nbsp; I tried to joke with my friends at my US Air Force Academy reunion in 2021 that they could help me decorate my walker at the next reunion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-864\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209-467x350.jpg 467w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0209.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">My USAFA roommate Melissa and I at  Air Force- Army Football game 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; During my first meeting with Dr. Walter, he informed me that many patients found it helpful to enroll in research studies.&nbsp; I didn\u2019t right off the bat, but after learning more about some of the studies I was intrigued by a study that was being conducted by Dr. Jay Alberts at Cleveland Clinic in collaboration with the neurologists at the University of Utah, and it involved cycling, something that I had previously loved to do.&nbsp; I contacted the study coordinators, and was subsequently enrolled in the study.&nbsp; I was randomized to receive a Peleton bike for a year and encouraged to ride it at least 3 times a week, with phone calls from a physical therapist and encouragement regularly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"778\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/View-recent-photos-4-778x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-891\" style=\"width:630px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/View-recent-photos-4-778x1024.jpeg 778w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/View-recent-photos-4-228x300.jpeg 228w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/View-recent-photos-4-768x1011.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/View-recent-photos-4-1167x1536.jpeg 1167w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/View-recent-photos-4-266x350.jpeg 266w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/View-recent-photos-4.jpeg 1179w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 778px) 85vw, 778px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I quickly found that the more I rode the bike the better I felt.&nbsp; I started to think about my future in a more positive way and started with the goal of finishing a half marathon, and then a half ironman.&nbsp; The more I exercised,&nbsp; the better I felt, and I realized that my medications were literally legal performance enhancing drugs and the more I exercised the fewer of them I needed.&nbsp; With the Parkinson\u2019s medications, I could run without feeling miserably stiff afterwards, and it felt smooth, when I swam again. &nbsp; I was excited to feel like an athlete again. The exercise also helped with the anxiety and sleep problems. &nbsp; I decided to set the biggest goal I could think of, and that was to once again compete in and finish Ironman Hawaii World Championships and run down Ali\u2019i drive to the finish line in Kona.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was connected with InMotion, a local community Parkinson\u2019s Center started by physician Dr. Karen Jaffe, trainer Ben Rossi and Allan Goldberg among others.&nbsp; Dr. Jaffe shared her story of also being diagnosed in her mid 40s, 10 years prior to my diagnosis.&nbsp; It gave me so much hope seeing all that she had accomplished since her diagnosis and that by staying active she looked like any other normal woman, who may just be a little more shaky than most, but was engaging and fun&nbsp; She told me her biggest regret was keeping her diagnosis a secret for as long as she did, and that how much sharing her story has helped her as much as those with whom it was shared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"584\" data-id=\"954\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1-1024x584.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-954\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1-1024x584.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1-768x438.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1-1536x876.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1-1200x685.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1-613x350.jpg 613w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2921-2-1.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In Motion: Better Every Day Class<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After watching the NBC broadcast of the 2022 Ironman World Championship race, and seeing the stories of inspirational athletes that were shared, it occurred to me that my story could inspire a lot of people and educate about the effectiveness of intense exercise on slowing the progression of the disease and the management of its symptoms. I wrote Ironman, and was offered an opportunity to compete at Kona 2 months before the race&nbsp; and share my story as part of it. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ironman Documentary &#8211; Episode 1, Last 9 minutes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ep 1:  The World Stage | 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship Documentary Special\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HsfpFa6zmcs?list=PLxTcXRgYJnfSANlTirdZyCJhMk5hMuZXM\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ironman was an incredible experience and a great opportunity to share my story and raise awareness about the effectiveness of high intensity exercise in the management of Parkinson&#8217;s disease and in slowing the progression of the disease. As part of that, my story received significant media attention including an appearance on the Today Show, 2 pages in Women&#8217;s health magazine and one of the featured athletes in the Ironman documentary, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ironman Documentary: Last 2 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ep 5:  The Finish Line | 2023 VinFast IRONMAN World Championship Documentary Special\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HNomIS5qi68?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; The brain is a very complicated but miraculous part of who we are.&nbsp; I think of exercise, and balance as training different parts of my brain to compensate for the cells that are dying off because of Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-rounded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/media\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1179\" height=\"1522\" data-id=\"364\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_1248-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-364\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>MEDIA<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-rounded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/speaking\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" data-id=\"619\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655-526x350.jpg 526w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_0655.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>SPEAKING<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-rounded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/my-life-prior-to-parkinsons\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"713\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"634\" src=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582-713x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-634\" srcset=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582-713x1024.jpg 713w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582-209x300.jpg 209w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582-768x1103.jpg 768w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582-1070x1536.jpg 1070w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582-1200x1723.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582-244x350.jpg 244w, https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/img_2582.jpg 1393w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 85vw, 713px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>MY LIFE BEFORE PD<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-parkinson-s-university\"><a href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/pd-university-2\/\">PARKINSON&#8217;S UNIVERSITY<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.parkinsonz.org\">Home<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sara.whittingham.5\"><strong>Follow me on Facebook<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I am a physician, a USAF veteran, a triathlete, a wife and a mother. In early 2020, our family moved from Salt Lake City to Cleveland after my husband accepted an amazing opportunity at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), which is a public MD medical school in the Cleveland Area.&nbsp; NEOMED coincidently has a strong &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/my-journey\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;My journey&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":253895360,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"[]"},"class_list":["post-18","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.8 (Yoast SEO v23.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sara Whittingham: A Physician, Veteran, athlete and advocate for others with Parkinson&#039;s Disease - Parkinsonz: PD with Zest and Zeal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover the inspiring journey of Sara Whittingham, a physician, USAF veteran, triathlete, wife, and mother. Learn about her journey since her diagnosis of Parkinson&#039;s disease.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/test4.samplewebsitelink.com\/parkinsonzBackup\/my-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"My journey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover the inspiring journey of Sara Whittingham, a physician, USAF veteran, triathlete, wife, and mother. 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