A retired psychiatrist, I have had Parkinson's disease for nineteen years and I'm happy to report that I'm not yet disabled; not yet in need of a caregiver. From 2012 until 2020, I directed our community-based support group for Persons with Parkinson's Disease (PWPs).
Prior to Parkinson's I had a rich and varied, forty-year medical career, I have worn a wide variety of medical hats. After finishing medical school and a one-year internship in Pediatrics, I volunteered to become a Navy Flight Surgeon. At the height of the Vietnam War, I spent the majority of my time with a Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron, VMA (AW) 224. My remaining time was spent with Navy squadrons VAQ 131 and 132. Upon leaving the military, I went on to be a general practitioner (four years), an emergency room physician (four years), and finally took a Residency in Southern California to become a board-certified psychiatrist for twenty-five years. Over the decades, I have also made several brief medical mission trips to Third-World countries including Honduras, Guatemala, and Uganda.
While my life and career have been fulfilling and meaningful, I still hear an inner voice: You're not through with your life's work yet. That's why I'm here. I want to make a difference in the lives of everyday people who are in relationships that may need a tune-up or some minor body work.