About

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When Brian's painful foot cramps first appeared in 1976, he was only 14 years old. He had no idea how serious this one symptom was or, the possible toll that it might take on him. As time went on, one thing became abundantly clear to Brian. He was in a fight for his life. 

For the majority of Brian's life, finding his "balance," and a healthy way to deal with his medical situation was to say at the very least, elusive. Eventually, Brian did find balance. Coming to accept himself and facing the disease head-on, helped him to feel less like a victim and more empowered to handle the challenges in front of him. Learning to be open, honest, and accepting of one's self while living with Parkinson's disease, granted Brian a level of control and a level of peace. When we give up on spending time hiding from ourselves, our troubling symptoms become much less troubling.

Not Afraid to Fall,” is an inspirational book and non-fiction work that chronicles Brian's journey with PD from the early onset of his disorder, to the present day. The mental, emotional, and physical challenges that having this disease poses continue to reaffirm the person that he's become and has defined the very fabric of Brian's being that he is most proud of.

On the outside looking in, some people might think that Parkinson's disease has ruined Brian's life. Quite the contrary! His experience with the disease has undoubtedly impacted and restricted some aspects of how he lives his life. This is to be expected. It also has liberated him in ways that he never could have imagined. The gift in the real-life lessons that PD has taught him, he hopes to share with the many people afflicted with this disease, their caregivers, and others that might be suffering from unresolved traumatic issues impacting their lives. 

Whether it be Brian’s skiing adventures in Europe, or his attempts to summit Mount Washington on his bicycle, Not Afraid to Fall offers its readers inspiration and hope. The book includes Brian's family medical history, with a first-hand account of his DBS surgery. Also included, are many insightful pieces of medical information. Brian expounds on his 20+ year history taking prescribed medications, while for the last 13 years, (post-DBS,) he hasn't taken any medications for Parkinson's disease whatsoever. His experience is a rare look into the pharmaceutical side of the disease. Very few people afflicted with this disorder, ever have the opportunity to go off medication completely once they have started on a drug therapy program. Brian has had the benefit of living on both sides, with meds and now, without. In Not Afraid to Fall, he shares his rare perspective on the subject of medication, exercise, diet, sleep, and much, much more.

It is not unusual to feel powerless while facing a chronic illness like Parkinson's disease. Brian hopes the information which he has shared in his book, will help you to reclaim your power and bring balance back into your life. Readers looking for an inspirational, uplifting story will also find self-empowerment in the pages of "Not Afraid to Fall."

Links to some of the places Brian mentions in, Not Afraid to Fall...

"Cortina d' Ampezzo" link-

https://www.skicortinadampezzo.com

"Cervinia/Zermatt" link-

https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2019/11/lift-new-panoramic-border-crossing-link-between-cervinia-and-zermatt

"Mont Blanc" link-

https://www.chamonix.com/la-vallee-blanche,26-714899,en.html

"Mount Washington" link-

https://mt-washington.com

"Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb" link-

http://www.mwarbh.org