Originally a college athlete turned sales executive and father of two boys, I thrived on embracing life to the fullest. However, everything changed when a “nervous tick” began plaguing my left arm. Numerous doctor visits, MRI scans, and a crucial appointment with a neurologist in 2016 revealed a life-altering diagnosis: young onset Parkinson’s Disease at age 42.
Following the diagnosis, the harmless tick escalated into a relentless, debilitating tremor that affected my entire left side. These tremors caused constant pain, embarrassment, and a profound decline in my quality of life. Everyday tasks became daunting, from conducting business meetings to coaching my son’s basketball games.
In 2020, a ray of hope emerged with news of clinical trials for a groundbreaking tremor treatment known as Focused Ultrasound. Thanks to our families generous employer’s medical benefits and the outstanding medical team at the University of Penn, I was scheduled for this life-changing therapy in June 2022.
June 9, 2022, is etched in my memory. As I traveled to the University of Penn for my Focused Ultrasound therapy, hope mingled with anxiety as my tremors intensified and my muscles tightened under the stress. Little did I know the profound impact the next two hours in the MRI tube would have on my life.
Being fully conscious on the MRI table felt surreal. I communicated with the medical staff in real time during the five sonication procedures that day. It was during the third sonication that something incredible happened: after nearly a decade of battling tremors, my body finally surrendered to stillness. The tremors ceased, my muscles relaxed, and the tension melted away. I could finally… Be Still!
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