If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s that you don’t always get to choose the battles you face — but you do get to choose how you face them. 

I was born and raised in India, and in 1990, my husband Keith and I made the life-changing decision to immigrate to Canada with our two beautiful children, Kyle and Diandra. Over the years, I built a life I loved — working as an administrative assistant for more than 22 years, traveling when I could, cooking meals that filled our home with warmth, and cherishing every moment with my family. 

But in 2015, everything changed. 

A diagnosis that shook my world 

It started with something small — a slight tremor in my hand. At first, I told myself it was nothing, just tiredness. It was my son who noticed and asked, “Mom, why is your hand shaking?” I shrugged it off, but deep down, I knew something wasn’t right. After months of tests and uncertainty, I finally received the diagnosis of Parkinson’s. 

The day I heard those words was one of the hardest of my life. I remember thinking, Is this it? Am I going to end up in a wheelchair? Fear wrapped itself around me tightly. But with time, I realized something important — Parkinson’s didn’t mean my life was over. It just meant my life was going to look different. 

Learning to navigate the challenges 

Living with Parkinson’s has brought challenges I never expected. It’s not just about tremors – I developed dystonia in my foot, battled anxiety and depression, and managed the side effects of medications that sometimes felt worse than the Parkinson’s symptoms themselves. 

The emotional weight can be heavy at times, and there were times when I felt invisible — when friends grew distant because they didn’t know how to respond to my struggles. But I learned that hiding my pain doesn’t help anyone — not me, and not the people who care about me. 

I started speaking openly about my mental health. I stopped apologizing for my reality, and I chose to walk away from negativity whenever it threatened to pull me down. 

Finding strength in small victories 

My days now start with determination. Mornings are tough and getting out of bed feels like a chore — but I push myself. I stretch, I exercise, and recently, I started boxing with a freestanding punching bag. It makes me feel strong again. 

I find joy in small things such as tending to the plants that brighten my home, laughing with my family, moving my body even when it’s hard. I haven’t joined a support group yet, though it’s on my mind. For now, I stay connected in my own ways — reaching out, staying active, and holding on to hope. 

A message to others living with Parkinson’s 

To anyone newly diagnosed, I want you to know that you will have bad days. You’ll feel frustrated, scared, and angry, but you’ll also find a strength inside yourself that you didn’t know existed. You’ll have moments of joy that take you by surprise. 

Find the people who lift you up. Discover what makes you feel alive — even if it’s something small. And above all, don’t be afraid to talk about how you’re feeling. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s courage. 

Parkinson’s is part of my life, but it does not define me. I am still Mylene — a wife, a mother, a fighter, and a believer in the beauty of life, even on the hardest days.