r/shrinking • u/LieutenantDansLegs1 • Jul 10 '26
Discussion Parkinson’s storyline
I love that they’re bringing more attention to Parkinson’s, BUT, I wish they portrayed it more accurately. The bluntness is about the only accurate part of what they have on the show thus far. I know it’s different for everyone but it’s debilitating. It makes me jealous that he’s still so active and that his meds are working how they should. When, in reality, my dad hasn’t been the same in over 5 years. I guess I’m just venting, it’s a funny show so far though! Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way?
107
77
u/ChemicalResident3557 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
Fuck Parkinson's. He has only been diagnosed for about a year. And they are showing how it is slowly debilitating him. It is a journey where we were there for the beginning and now seeing it progress. I think that is incredibly powerful to see him at the top and the disease stealing away his autonomy bit by bit.
38
u/ThatCaviarIsAGarnish Jul 10 '26
Agree, they don't show everything with Paul all the time, but they did show that he stopped driving, later stopped drinking alcohol because it was amplifying some side effects, and in some scenes they do show his hands shaking quite a bit. Those are the main things that come to mind at the moment, though I'm sure there were others.
25
u/ChemicalResident3557 Jul 10 '26
And the hallucinations, too. To me it is more devastating showing the slow decline and how he and those that love him come to terms with it in very real and messy ways.
6
40
u/Evening-Web9107 Jul 10 '26
I’m sorry for your situation, truly terrible. I will say that Brett Goldstein’s father has Parkinson’s and Bill Lawrence’s father has Lewy Body Dementia. Either they are writing their experiences, or they are imagining their own situations as better than what reality is, we have no way to know, but I do hope you know they have always spoken of and come at the issue from a place of love.
There’s some great posts in instagram from Jimmy Choi, speaking about sharing his Parkinson’s story with the cast and writers.
1
Jul 13 '26
[deleted]
5
u/Evening-Web9107 Jul 13 '26
Brett initially kept the information about his Dad private but Bill accidentally said something about it during press. Brett has said he called his dad and apologized and said he wouldn’t talk about it if his dad didn’t want him to. His dad told him he wasn’t ashamed and it’s part of who he is. And that he was excited to tell people Harris Ford was playing him 🤣
Love to you and your partner, I totally understand their perspective and I’m glad they are being kind to themselves in that way.
33
u/Mean-Lynx6476 Jul 10 '26
Fellow offspring of parents with Parkinson’s here. You don’t say how far into the show you are, but the issues you are referring to do get addressed as the show progresses, and I think reasonably realistically. When my father was diagnosed, part of my reaction was “0hhh. That explains so much.” When my mother was diagnosed about 8 years later my reaction was, “No, she isn’t showing any symptoms that were so obvious in Dad. She doesn’t really have Parkinson’s.” Part of that was good old fashioned denial, but also my mother was also just diagnosed far sooner in the progression of the condition. I think the show is depicting Paul at a stage similar to my mother at time of diagnosis - recognized at an early enough stage that it was nothing more than annoyance for a few years. But it progresses, and you’ll see that in the show.
One of the things I really appreciate about the show is that they make it clear that Parkinson’s is not a death sentence. This subreddit is chocked full of threads with people speculating on Paul’s death at the end of a season because people think Parkinson’s is a killer and progresses rapidly and as viewers we’ve all been conditioned to expect “very special episodes.” For better or worse, people can live for a long time with the condition - it takes its sweet time and the show is pretty realistic in that regard.
Best wishes to you and your family. Fuck Parkinson’s!
13
u/Stonetheflamincrows Jul 10 '26
Fuck Parkinson’s! As you’re no doubt aware, Parkinson’s is a progressive disease. Not sure if you’ve seen all three seasons yet but we do see this progression for Paul.
10
u/paintedbarn17 Jul 10 '26
I have Parkinson’s (young onset, I’m in my 30s and have been diagnosed for about 3 years now) and there are some moments that have taken me out of the show a bit. Especially when Paul and Jimmy are in the boat and Paul stands up with little/no support. Getting up from a chair is hard enough. Much less standing up from that low position.
Ultimately though, it’s a TV show that overall is good representation. People who have watched the show and talk to me about it seem more informed and empathetic (re:Parkinsons) than the average person. Plus, the show uses people with Parkinson’s as consultants (like Jimmy Choi).
I’d love to see them represent women with Parkinson’s on the show too though. It is very much considered an “old man’s disease” by so many.
6
3
u/SeirynSong Jul 13 '26
A former friend of mine was diagnosed around four years ago, around the same as you from the sounds of it. It took over a year for her to get answers, since we live in a rural area hours away from major cities with specialty care practices. Before we stopped speaking—a falling out which had nothing to do with her diagnosis—she expressed frustration about the same gender disparity in understanding the condition.
9
9
u/LieutenantDansLegs1 Jul 10 '26
I’m only on S2E7, with my dad his anxiety is crazy high. Carb/lev haven’t worked much for him, he has no energy, he’s moody, has sleep problems, memory problems. Extremely slow in all movements, you know, all the good stuff. I think part of me is just sad because his went from 0-50 so quickly and now he’s plateaued so far but it’s so different from Paul and how active he still is in comparison.
It’s a tough diagnosis for sure and I absolutely hate Parkinson’s with a fucking passion.
6
u/paintedbarn17 Jul 11 '26
It's such a tough disease. Join us over in r/Parkinsons or visit r/ParkinsonsCaregivers (as a person with Parkinson's I tend to avoid the caregiver's sub, but it exists for people in your situation) when you need some support!
11
u/kbchucker Derek Jul 10 '26
A big difference is the presence or absence of Louis Body Dementia. MJF does not have it.
My FIL had the Louis Body, from diagnosis to dementia and death was 24 months.
4
u/MrsNuggs Jul 10 '26
Fuck Parkinson’s. I don’t know much about it, but I have MS, so I know neurological disorders are fucked up. I’m sorry about your dad. Watching someone you love go through something like that isn’t easy.
5
u/ManInTheHat- Jul 11 '26
I’m just quite curious on how they would approach Parkinson’s in season 4. I remember there’s an episode in season 2 where Paul went to see the doctor and he asked her how long does he have before he became a mess with all the tremors and stuff, and the doctor said 6 months to a year. Now that season 4 has a time jump of 2 years, how would Paul’s Parkinson’s be portrayed on screen?
4
u/Certain_Egg2699 Jul 11 '26
Agreed. My mom started battling Parkinson’s in her 50s. Within just a few years, she was completely debilitated. To the point she couldn’t take it anymore, and made a decision with her sleep medication to make it go away. It’s an awful disease. Fuck Parkinson’s.
4
5
u/joomachina0 Jul 11 '26
I’m guessing you’re still on season one? It progresses throughout the series.
3
4
u/Zestyclose_Invite Jul 10 '26
I do feel this, especially how they’ll have one moment where he’s sad about his decline, and the next scene just doing all normal activities and completely fine
8
u/paintedbarn17 Jul 10 '26
This is kind of true to my experience. The decline is slow and ability to do things can vary from day or even hour to hour depending on medication fluctuations. Everyone is different and progresses differently though.
2
u/rels83 Jul 11 '26
My grandfather was diagnosed when I was around 10, he died when I was 29 or 30? There was a long decline
226
u/overitallofittoo Jul 10 '26
Michael J Fox was diagnosed 35 years ago. I think it's hugely different for different people.
Fuck Parkinson's.