Neuro Note: "Attitude is Everything"

"Muhammad Ali's Eldest Daughter Shares Memories of Her Dad and Hope for Those with Parkinson's: 'Attitude is Everything'"

    I was very intrigued when learning about Parkinson's Disease (PD), therefore I chose an article about Muhammad Ali to reflect on for my Neuro Note. The title of this article is: "Muhammad Ali's Eldest Daughter Shares Memories of Her Dad and Hope for Those with Parkinson's: 'Attitude is Everything'". This People article is centered around an interview with Maryum Ali, Muhammad Ali's oldest daughter.  Maryum gave advice for family members of individuals with PD.  She told the interviewer that a very important aspect to living with PD is to do what makes you happy. When I read this, I immediately thought about how this aligned with OT practice. Maryum noted that ensuring the whole family is aware of the details and symptoms of the disease is imperative to live happier lives.  As a future OT, I hope that when I effectively educate caregivers and family members of their loved one's disease or disorder, it will bring happiness to the family just like Muhammad Ali's.

    Muhammad's first symptoms were slowed movement and softer speech. They suspected he acquired PD from a combination of his boxing and exposure to pesticides. I thought this was interesting because of the misconception that solely boxing caused his PD. I would enjoy digging deeper into the research involving the negative effect of pesticides. According to Maryum, the medications for PD caused abnormal side effects. For Muhammad this was the desire to look at books constantly. The family did their best to accommodate his new hobby. I'm interested in learning more about side effects of the medicine for PD and how that can affect the OT intervention.  From having experience with my own father's chronic illness, I know it can often be challenging to face the negative or abnormal side effects of medication knowing you possibly cannot live without it. 

    Maryum's main takeaway of this interview was that when facing PD, "Attitude is everything". Muhammad Ali was constantly motivated and determined to not allow PD take over his life and live his life to the fullest. What better way to live life than by living it to the fullest! 

Maryum and her Dad 

   

Herbst, D. (2016, August 25). Muhammad Ali's Eldest Daughter Maryum Shares Memories. Retrieved May 03, 2017, from http://people.com/celebrity/muhammad-alis-eldest-daughter-maryum-shares-memories/

photo retrieved from: http://people.com/celebrity/muhammad-alis-eldest-daughter-maryum-shares-memories/