Living with Parkinson’s Disease: Mike’s Story
An active discussion is the key to an interesting and engaging online course. Discussion in this course is designed to simulate a classroom discussion. As others join in the discussion, you should read what has already been posted and add substantively to the discussion.  We will go through the questions one at a time, moving on to the next question once we have fully explore the current question. I will guide you through the discussions.
 
The modules in this course are one week. Time goes quickly, so post early! Get in the habit of checking the discussions as often as you can to see what others have posted and to respond. Waiting until the last day to post means you miss out on learning from your peers, and they miss out on learning from you.
 
Please think about the following questions and respond not only to the questions but also to what others are saying. The first question is opinion-based so that you can begin the discussion immediately without having completed all of your readings. As you progress, you will need to meaningfully apply the readings, using APA formatting for any citations.
 
Background information for this discussion:
 
The School of Health Sciences faculty interviewed several people living with chronic illnesses for this course. This is the first of three interviews. Mike is a man living with Parkinson’s disease. Through his interview, he provides us with his insights into the physical and psychosocial challenges of his illness and how he lived with it, and despite it, throughout the years. Mike has died since doing this interview; however, his story honors the determination of a man living with Parkinson’s disease – his life and his relationships with his family, friends and community. Mike’s story also expands our knowledge of the coping and adaptation skills individuals develop living with a chronic illness.
 
View the Following Video Interview:
 
Experiential  Interview:  Mike’s Experience with Parkinson’s [Video File, 26:22 minutes]
 
First, in your opinion:
 
What surprised you when viewing Mike’s experience of living with Parkinson’s disease? Do you believe that Mike was typical of someone living with a chronic illness? If not, how may he have been different?
 
Let’s apply your readings and video to the following questions, going through them one at a time:
 
The needs of a person with a chronic illness may differ from someone with an acute episodic condition. The theories and models in this week’s readings provide a variety of frameworks for intervening. Which of the theoretical frameworks and/or model(s) from this week’s readings would be most appropriate for use with Mike? Which one(s) might Mike feel most comfortable with as a partner in his treatment?
 
This week, we’ve read about the concept of illness behavior.  What were some of Mike’s responses to his chronic condition? What words or phrases did he use to describe his condition? To what extent do you think that his relationship with his wife, and the fact that his wife is a nurse, influenced his illness behavior?
 
Mike wanted to be a partner in his treatment. He succeeded in this. What lessons can be learned from Mike’s successes (and continued challenges)? How can these be applied when working with other people with Parkinson’s disease – or any other chronic condition?