"I first noticed the tremors in my right hand in 2013. It was unusual, but I'm left-handed, so it didn't bother me much. The doctor, when I eventually went to see her, had two theories: a benign tremor or Parkinson's. It took two years to learn it was Parkinson's – a diagnosis confirmed after a neurologist in my home province of New Brunswick referred me to Dr. Anthony Lang, a world-renowned expert in movement disorders, at UHN's Krembil Brain Institute.
Over those couple of years, my symptoms got worse. I had to concentrate to walk normally, swinging my arms in time to the movement of my legs, which was disconcerting. I was 53 when I first met Dr. Lang and still had a TV career ahead of me. While he was reassuring – "Don't worry, we'll get you back on air," he told me – the symptoms continued. Medication helped, but one side effect is dyskinesia, which causes your body to twist and torque, making it difficult to stay still.
There was a way to treat these side effects: through deep brain stimulation (DBS). When Dr. Lang suggested the treatment, it sounded serious since it was brain surgery. But, as my symptoms progressed, it was clear that this would be a good long-term solution. It helped that Krembil performs the most DBS treatments in the country.
