After my uncle's diagnosis, everything slowed down and took more planning
Written by Crystal Onyema | May 13, 2026
Before Parkinson’s disease, my late uncle Brandon was always on the move.
He always needed something to do, especially on weekends. If he wasn’t planning a hunting trip, he was outside grilling ribs, sausage, or brisket and inviting neighbors over without a second thought.
The house was rarely quiet. There was always laughter, music, and people dropping by. Family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers felt welcome. My uncle was at the heart of it all, bringing energy wherever he went. Life seemed to revolve around him.
That’s why, after his diagnosis, one of the biggest things I noticed wasn’t just the physical changes. It was the shift in rhythm.
Over time, everything slowed down. It happened little by little. Outings took more planning. Simple tasks took more time. Conversations stretched longer. There was more watching, waiting, and adjusting than before. As changes in movement and coordination became more noticeable, our family had to slowly adapt to a different pace.
At first, I don’t think I fully understood what was happening. I was so focused on helping, learning about Parkinson’s, and trying to support him that I didn’t immediately realize how much the overall energy of our lives had changed. But eventually, I noticed.
We started paying closer attention to what he needed. Things became more intentional and methodical. We learned to move in ways that helped him feel supported without making everything feel clinical or unfamiliar. Preserving a sense of normalcy became important to all of us, especially as mobility and balance became more unpredictable.
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