Bill Schmalfeldt
It’s been an interesting career! Two hitches in the Navy – first as a Hospital Corpsman with the Marines, then as a Navy Broadcast Journalist.
Then, 30+ years experience in radio and newspapers as a program director, talk show host, columnist, reporter and one of the original broadcasters at XM Satellite Radio.
This was followed by a six-year stint as a writer/editor with the National Institutes of Health.
Back on January 31, 2000 – about three weeks after my 45th birthday – I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In the 12 years since, the disease has taken its toll and I am now retired and nearly housebound.
In 2007, I took part in a clinical trial at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The object, to see if Deep Brain Stimulation could be safely performed on folks in the earlier stages of Parkinson’s. Thirty of us were accepted into the trial – half were assigned to the control group, half had the surgery. I am one of 15 people in the United States to have volunteered for brain surgery, which was performed June 13, 2007. The whole experience is the subject of my book, “Put On Your Parky Face,” which can be found on Amazon.
Since retiring, I am doing what I can to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease, and to right the wrongs of the right wing by writing. I blog, but that just doesn’t seem like enough.
I'm pleased to be a member of the Suite101 team and I hope you will enjoy my humorous takes on Parkinson's and Politics.
Latest Articles
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Democrats: Ssssh! Or You'll Spoil the Newt-Mentum!
In 1972 when Dems indicated their willingness to self-destruct by nominating their weakest candidate, did the GOP make a fuss? There's a lesson here!
Jan 22, 2012
- Bill Schmalfeldt
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Mitt Romney's Campaign Suffers Life-Threatening Bout of Newtmonia
January has not been kind to the former presumptive nominee.
Jan 20, 2012
- Bill Schmalfeldt
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