‘Don’t have despair’: Brooklyn hospital helps Parkinson's patient return to some normalcy

Arlene Walters is one of the 1 million people living with Parkinson's disease in the United States.

News 12 Staff

Apr 23, 2021, 5:30 PM

Updated 1,342 days ago

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Arlene Walters is one of the 1 million people living with Parkinson's disease in the United States.
The New York City resident was diagnosed with the disease in 2013. Her first symptom she noticed was her jaw moving erratically when she was trying to put on lipstick.
Her symptoms got progressively worse to the point where she had to stop driving. Her face became noticeably rigid, and she lost the ability to dress herself.
Walters then received treatment with medication at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, and has since improved and gained some of what she lost.
"One night, it was snowing out and I got up to use the bathroom, and I realized I got out of bed so easy," Walters says. "And I went and sat down, and I watched the snow falling down and a peace came over me."
Dr. Miran Salgado, of New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, says patients have options in managing their disease.
"There is a lot of hope," Salgado says. "Don't have despair and we are here to manage your symptoms. We have enough tools to keep going for a very long time."
Genetics, environmental causes and head trauma are some possible causes of Parkinson's.
Dr. Salgado says anyone diagnosed with Parkinson’s can keep moving because exercise can help with symptoms.