M*A*S*H star Alan Alda now has Parkinson's Disease

My grandmother had Parkinson’s. She meant the world to me, and I hated helplessly watching her suffer such a rapid decline. She was diagnosed at 72, and from there transformed from independent, on-the-go senior citizen to… well, let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

She passed away in hospice care at 81. I kept vigil by her bedside and held her hand throughout her final week, though she was unresponsive. I loved her very much, and still do.

I’m not sure why I decided to share this. I adore Alan Alda and am glad to see his case isn’t as severe as Grandma’s. May he lead an active, happy, and fruitful life for years to come.

 

From CBC Radio show White Coat, Black Art with Dr. Brian Goldman: How Alan Alda went from TV doctor to teaching real doctors about empathy.