Living with Parkinson's can feel like standing in a room when the lights suddenly go out, while the world around you still expects you to move as if nothing has changed. That's what this episode is really about, how hard it can be to explain what's going on inside when so little of it shows on the outside, and how tiring it is to keep trying. Daniel is joined by Frank, who has lived with Parkinson's for nearly twenty years, and Frank's friend Chris, who doesn't have Parkinson's but has spent years learning what it's like to walk alongside someone who does.

This episode may mean a lot to anyone struggling to explain a disease that keeps changing, one that's often just as hard for others to understand as it is to describe. Chris talks about how he slowly got to know Frank, not by asking quick questions or assuming he understood, but by being patient, and how that opened his eyes to just how much Frank has to adapt to and manage every day. Daniel also shares an update on his own path toward DBS surgery, and would love to hear from listeners on whether that deserves its own episode, with his contact information shared at the end.

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Add your experience and suggestions to the conversation in this Parkinson's podcast. If you would like to leave Daniel a voice message and you live in the U.S., call 1-706-873-1656. Email us at parkinsonsandmepodcast@gmail.com

Daniel Sellers returns with "5.2: What Now?"—a raw, honest check-in on life with Parkinson's disease. He opens up about the personal cost of staying busy: losing dexterity in both hands, hiding panic attacks at work, and ultimately having to walk away from a job and coworkers he loved. Alongside the physical toll—including osteoporosis, chronic pain, and a rare, severe form of facial dyskinesia he calls "freaky face"—Daniel shares the emotional weight of watching his son start driving and turning 50 himself, a milestone that's left him reflecting on nostalgia, loss, and what comes next.

But this episode is less about the losses themselves and more about how to hold them. Using the vivid image of a calm creek suddenly rising into a storm, Daniel unpacks how emotional overwhelm can distort thinking in an instant—turning "I sometimes feel this way" into "I always feel this way." He offers a simple, practical tool for catching that spiral before it takes hold, reframing the season ahead not as decline, but as an open question: What's next?

Special thanks for the music:

Cold Cinema - Missing Hour

Infraction - Giants League

Keys of Moon - Way To Dream

Vist us at: PandMe.net

Add your experience and suggestions to the conversation in this Parkinson's podcast. If you would like to leave Daniel a voice message and you live in the U.S., call 1-706-873-1656. Email us at parkinsonsandmepodcast@gmail.com

Daniel opens by sharing how each podcast season mirrors a chapter in his life, with this one marking an awakened state. He gives a personal update: after months of worsening symptoms, he pursued evaluation for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery. The process, which required going off his meds, was physically and emotionally draining—only to be told he wasn’t “miserable enough” yet. The rejection left him feeling deflated and stuck.

Using the image of a plane unable to take off, Daniel conveys the emotional weight of feeling grounded by Parkinson’s. He expresses frustration and helplessness, especially when comparing his own limitations to the evaluating doctor’s effortless movements, emotions he’s still working through.

The episode moves from pain to purpose as Daniel reflects on how his diagnosis became a wake-up call. Inspired by the metaphor of a hotel wake-up call and Ben Fuller’s Wide Awake, he explores what it means to live intentionally—even when that includes discomfort or grief—and urges listeners to stay awake to life.

The episode explores the theme of awakening amidst struggle. Daniel reflects on a difficult personal setback—being denied eligibility for DBS surgery—and the emotional toll it took. Through raw honesty and reflection, he examines how moments of pain and frustration can also serve as powerful wake-up calls.

Special thanks to Keys of the Moon, Music4Video_1, Infraction, and ashamaluevmusic for the music.

Add your experience and suggestions to the conversation in this Parkinson's podcast. If you would like to leave Daniel a voice message and you live in the U.S., call 1-706-873-1656. Email us at parkinsonsandmepodcast@gmail.com