health
A New Start After 60: I Spent Eight Years Thinking I Had Parkinson's. Then Doctors 'De-diagnosed' Me
Mike Bell was 53 when he got the diagnosis that changed his life – and 61 when he learned it was wrong. He felt relieved, but also totally adrift
TL;DR
- Mike Bell lived with a Parkinson's diagnosis for eight years, from age 53 to 61.
- At 61, new medical assessments led to him being "de-diagnosed," with doctors suggesting other potential conditions like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
- The initial relief of the de-diagnosis was followed by feelings of being adrift, losing his sense of community and purpose tied to the Parkinson's diagnosis.
- Bell engaged in creative projects and advocacy during his time with the Parkinson's diagnosis, including writing poetry, a novel, and researching musicians' careers.
- He has since made lifestyle changes, found new love, and is starting a new career in band merchandise, utilizing his unique mapping designs.
- The band maps represent a return to his earlier passion for organizing and creating, but now with a focus on data and the deep research of artist connections.