Pedro Gabriel shares his story of living with Parkinson's disease, to remind others they are not alone, and that life continues, differently, but meaningfully.
My symptoms began quietly around February 2018, small changes that were easy to dismiss at first. Over time, those changes became impossible to ignore, slowly reshaping my everyday life.
In February 2019, I received the diagnosis: Parkinson's disease. It was a moment that divided my life into before and after.
This journey has brought fear, frustration, and uncertainty, but also strength I didn't know I had. By sharing my story, I hope to remind others that they are not alone, and that even with Parkinson's, life continues, differently, but meaningfully.
My name is Pedro Gabriel Sepulveda Uribe, and I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in February 2019 at the Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze. But my story started earlier.
In 2018, I began noticing something wasn't right. It started with a tremor in my right hand, at first only at rest, then even during activity. My handwriting became smaller and less controlled. Fine motor tasks became harder. Something that used to feel automatic now required effort and concentration.
At that time, I was still fully active, working, taking care of my family, living a normal life. But inside, I knew something was changing. After medical tests, including brain MRI and neurological evaluations, I received the diagnosis: early-onset Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's is not just tremor. Over the years, I began experiencing motor fluctuations. The medication works, but only for a few hours. When it wears off, stiffness and slowness return, especially on my right side. Sometimes there are cramps. Sometimes dyskinesias (involuntary movements).
I am unemployed at the moment, but I continue working from home as a graphic designer. My days start early. I take my children to school. I try to stay present as a husband and father. But Parkinson's is always there, in the background.
There were also difficult moments: medication side effects, sleep disturbances, and even behavioral complications linked to dopamine treatment. These were hard, not just physically, but emotionally and personally. They affected my marriage, my finances, and my self-image. This disease tests more than your body. It tests your character.
I am currently followed at a specialized movement disorder center, and I have been evaluated as a good candidate for STN Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a surgical treatment that may significantly reduce the need for dopaminergic medication. I continue exercising regularly. I continue adapting. I continue learning.
Parkinson's changed my life, but it did not end it. This website and channel are part of my mission:
Day by day. Step by step.
Studies and news about Parkinson's disease. Everything about clinical trials now has its own page: what's recruiting, what's being tested, and how you can take part.
Last updated: · Not medical advice.
16 October 2026
Nobody prepares you for the moment a doctor says the words Parkinson’s disease. I wasn’t ready, and it took me a long time to get to where I am now.
Read the full post →13 October 2026
I’ve been quiet for a while, and I want to tell you why. The last few months have been some of the hardest I can remember.
Read the full post →Living with Parkinson's day by day comes with challenges: physical, emotional, and financial. This page exists for those who have asked how they can support me and this journey.
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