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Continue reading →: Protecting Your Privacy With Dr. AIEvery day, millions of people upload personal medical information into ChatCPT, Claude, Gemini, and other AI chatbots. If you’ve done this, what happens to your data? Here’s a summary of what’s at risk, along with some steps you can take to protect yourself. Also, the story of a delivery guy who prayed for me after…
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Continue reading →: Ping Pong For Parkinson’s in NE Portland on Wednesdays — It’s Live!If you’ve got Parkinson’s and are looking for a ping pong game in Northeast Portland, we’ve got you covered. Every Wednesday from 10am to noon, we’re playing at Fremont United Methodist Church, 2620 NE Fremont Street in Portland. And it’s free, which is a very good price for table tennis. For more info, email me…
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Continue reading →: Your Medical Bills Are (Probably) Wrong. Here’s How to Fight Back.Medical bills are sometimes negotiable. And they are often wrong — perhaps as much as 80% of the time. Learn how to fight back, using free AI tools to spot the errors and implement a strategy to challenge them. Also, a surprising update about Syngenta and paraquat. Bonus: David Byrne covering Biz Markie. .
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Continue reading →: The Price of a Paycheck: The Paraquat-Parkinson’s DilemmaUpton Sinclair once said “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” If you worked for a company whose product — a mountain of evidence suggests — causes Parkinson’s, would you keep working there? Bonus: the original “Magic Bus,” an R&B cover of a…
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Continue reading →: The Hotel Hack Parkinson’s Travelers Didn’t Know They NeededFlying with Parkinson’s can be challenging. Airport security authorities in the US and Canada have programs designed to make things a little easier. Also, a $22 item from Amazon that can keep you upright in a hotel shower. Bonus: some unusual Beatles covers, and a juggling boxer.
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Continue reading →: Necessary AdjustmentsParkinson’s makes things that once came naturally become more and more difficult. It’s a negotiation with an erratic, cruel opponent on the other side of the desk. In some cases it may be necessary to give up a treasured activity long before we’re ready. But sometimes by changing equipment, adjusting the rules, or seeking out…
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Continue reading →: Steering Downhill: You Have More Control Than You ThinkI once slid down Mount Hood on my butt. Perhaps I should explain.
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Continue reading →: Christmas Bonus 2025No pesky “Parkinson’s” content today, just the videos. You don’t have to eat your vegetables — it’s all dessert.
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Continue reading →: The Benefits of MentorshipWith a progressive condition like Parkinson’s, talking to someone else who has it can be extremely helpful. Here are some thoughts on the value of peer mentorship, and where it might fit for you. Bonus: “Sultans of Swing” played on a recorder – and it’s GOOD!
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Continue reading →: Driving Habits, Flatulence, and Turkish Airlines: A Parkinson’s Pot PourriLots to cover this week! A new potential way to detect cognitive decline, news about the possible benefits of breaking wind, and an update on Turkish Airlines’ less-than-welcoming Parkinson’s policy. Bonus: a mashup of the White Stripes and Curtis Mayfield. And a lot of “cold beer.”
Hello,
I’m Phil Bernstein
I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease on May 25, 2023. At the time, I was only vaguely aware of Parkinson’s — primarily from articles in People about Michael J. Fox. And I didn’t know anyone with the disease.
Now, I know a lot more about the illness, and I’ve joined the Parkinson’s community in my hometown of Portland, Oregon.
I’ve found that writing helps me think through challenges, and this illness definitely qualifies as a challenge. I’ve started Shakin’ Street to help me think through the various obstacles, tools, and resources that a newly-diagnosed Parkinson’s patient encounters along the way.
I hope some of these posts help you address and tackle your own challenges.
Shakin' Street -- A Parkinson's Blog 