Discerning the Way

Cole writes close to the heart in his personal story of living with Parkinson's disease. . . . For those beginning their own journey through illness, as well as those who can look back at earlier paths traveled, this volume is likely to provide easily accessible comfort, perspective, and hope for joy yet to be discovered and savored. Wise readers may find themselves returning to this book more than once. --Karen Raphael, Professor, New York University, and person living with Parkinson's disease As a young-onset Parkinson's disease (YOPD) patient myself, I struggled in my early years living with this illness. . . . Cole's experiences can serve the YOPD community with great impact. He provides incredible insight and perspective as a husband, father, educator, and friend living with Parkinson's. He has also found a balance in bringing hope though honesty while not sugarcoating the challenges we all face in all aspects of our lives. --Jimmy Choi, Contestant, American Ninja Warrior, and Member, Patient Council, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and person living with Parkinson's disease As a 'PwP' (person with Parkinson's), I found Discerning the Way both inspiring and revelatory. Cole writes with precision, grace, and empathy. His meditations on Parkinson's . . . provide us with a roadmap for hope, a path from darkness into light. This is a remarkable book of deeply personal stories that open a wide window into living well with Parkinson's. --Eric Eyre, author of Death in Mud Lick: A Coal Country Fight against the Drug Companies That Delivered the Opioid Epidemic, and person living with Parkinson's disease The knowledge spectrum for a Parkinson specialist and researcher . . . is a broad scope, but still interpreted and acted upon from the perspective of the physician, no matter how empathetic. This collection of insight, anecdote, and inspiration from an observer so uniquely positioned reminds the health-care provider that a completely different perspective exists--that hope, honesty, relationships, and humor impact chronic illness as much as, or more than, medicines and surgeries. --William G. Ondo, physician, Director, Movement Disorders Clinic, Houston Methodist Neurological Institute Parkinson's is a complicated disease that affects patients, caregivers, and others deeply and in a variety of ways. Cole delves into the illness with an insightful eye, one particularly focused on the experiences of young-onset patients, to share life lessons and perspectives that go beyond Parkinson's and apply to everyone, whether they suffer from PD or another disease. Optimistic yet not sugarcoating things, Cole candidly shares incredible observations and revelations with clarity and compassion. --Bret I. Parker, Cochair, Patient Council, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and person living with Parkinson's disease Cole has made a major contribution to the body of Parkinson's literature. Cole's message is clear: life is worthwhile and there is strength 'in removing the freight of going it alone.' His powerful and deeply personal style of storytelling draws in the reader in each essay with charm, wit, and insightfulness. . . . This is an essential read for anyone with Parkinson's. --Nina Mosier, MD, Cofounder and Director, Power for Parkinson's This is a profoundly important book--deeply human, beautifully written, and at times even poetic. . . . Cole helps us understand the physiological and emotional daily challenges for people living with PD, at the same time as he outlines a pathway to hope and meaning. . . . This book will leave a lasting impact on readers, reminding us of our frailties and our strengths, our interdependence, and the empowering effect that comes from living authentically even when dealing with loss. --Jeanette R. Davidson, Professor and former Director, The Clara Luper Department of African and African American Studies, University of Oklahoma Every word of Cole's book resonates to the core with me, even though parts of my experience with PD are quite similar and parts are quite different. . . . I highly recommend this book for those with Parkinson's and their care partners, physicians, nurses, social workers--anyone, really, who cares to know more about what living, and thriving, with Parkinson's can look like. --Nicole Jarvis, MD, OB/GYN Physician, and person living with Parkinson's disease Cole's beautifully written book is packed with wisdom, not only for those with chronic illness but for all of us. For me, this intimate account reads like a spiritual memoir--a profound and honest journey with human mortality in which Cole confronts and transforms an unexpected diagnosis into an occasion for learning. And we learn so much, not just about Parkinson's but about the practice of mercy, gratitude, and resilience amid life's many losses. --Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor emerita of Religion, Psychology, and Culture, Vanderbilt University Divinity School