The cover of "Both Sides Now," written by Alice Lazzarini, a former Mount Tabor resident, about her experiences with Parkinsons disease.
photo courtesy of Alice Lazzarini
By Lisa Kintish
In "Both Sides Now," Alice Lazzarini, a former Mount Tabor resident, details her journey from Parkinsons disease researcher to patient.
She writes, "Before developing Parkinson disease, I was on the research team that identified the first gene to cause the disorder. Beyond this irony, Both Sides Now recounts my unique perspective from having been on both sides of the white coat."
Upon being diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, Lazzarini, as is often the case with a diagnosis, went into denial.
She said, "I did my best to chalk the evidence up to other things. Acceptance began to take hold once I realized that there was a story worth telling in the irony, and that I could turn it into a positive thing by speaking out in support of Parkinsons."
It is said that knowledge is power, but knowing a great deal about the disease that is taking over one's body can have its pros and cons.
Lazzarini said, "Because I knew the symptoms all too well, I actually diagnosed myself before seeking confirmation from a physician. Knowing what likely lies ahead certainly can be scary, but borrowing a line from one of my Huntington family members, Its not the cards youre dealt, but how well you play them that counts. Im trying my darndest to play them as well as I can."
Lazzarinis diagnosis was the triggering factor for "Both Sides Now," but her story starts years earlier. She grew up in an artistic family and pursuing science was her way to forge her own path. In college, Lazzarini fell in love with the subject of genetics, "fruit flies and all."
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Alice Lazzarini recounts both sides of the white coat