JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Lorraine Miller, front, has a family Parkinson’s support team that includes her daughters, Jill Brown, left, and Carmen Bloms.

Lorraine Miller of Minot approaches her Parkinson’s disease with a sense of humor. She’s the shakin’ grandma who rocks the babies without a rocking chair, she and her family like to joke.

“She’s still her fun, spunky, funny self,” Carmen Bloms said of her mother, who was diagnosed in 2009.

While not taking herself too seriously, Miller is serious about following the treatments and protocols that are important in addressing the progression and symptoms of the neurodegenerative disease.

Miller, 73, formerly of Carpio, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s after noticing her left arm was tight and wouldn’t swing when she walked. The disease still affects only her left side at this point.

Her disease progression has been slow and she’s remained over the years on her original medicines for reducing tremors. However, last January, she switched from pills to a wearable injector pump that provides a continuous supply of liquid medication.

The pump not only allows for a steady, controllable dose of medicine but it also allows the medicine to bypass her digestive system, where protein can interfere with effectiveness, Miller said. A low continuous dose overnight improves her sleep. She increases the dose when active.

Her daughter Jill Brown said the introduction of the pump has made a huge difference.

“Before the pump, it was a slow decline into her doing less and less and less because of the tremor,” Brown said.

Her mother has taken boxing classes for Parkinson’s patients for some time, but she had been missing classes because she wasn’t up to attending, Brown said.

“Even her regular activities, she would miss a lot because she didn’t have control of the tremors. The medication wasn’t working the way we wanted it to,” she said. “The pump has changed that drastically. She is more active and does more.”

Miller said she was nervous at first about traveling with the pump but decided she wasn’t going to miss out on life. She traveled to Deadwood, South Dakota, with friends soon after getting her new device.

“It was just fine. I didn’t have any problem at all,” she said.

Miller also plans in May to start a Parkinson’s physical therapy program recommended by her Fargo specialist. Patients continue the exercises at home after the four week, four day a week course of therapy.

“That is a big key is staying active and exercise,” Bloms said. “Mom does boxing on Tuesdays and Thursdays that’s specific to Parkinson’s, and then Wednesdays, she plays cards with her lady friends, so she’s pretty active.”

Miller loves her boxing classes.

“It’s a social (event) because some of us get together half an hour before. We just sit and visit and talk. And then it’s just a fun class. Just the instructor makes it fun. Everybody has a good time. You get your heart rate up and you feel good by the time you leave,” Miller said.

Miller found that a massage chair and vibration plate she can stand or rest her feet on are other ways to reduce her tremors. She also uses a weighted blanket to help with symptoms.

Miller and family members participated in a Parkinson’s awareness walk at the Minot Family YMCA, held on April 11 as part of Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Along with raising awareness, they urge anyone with a Parkinson’s diagnosis to take advantage of support systems.

“Mom joined a lot of groups when the pump was new to her,” Brown said. “She reached out on social media and found Parkinson’s support groups online. There was a gentleman she found that was on this pump before she had started it, and he sat down and made a video of the whole process and what he has to do, which was amazing for her to see because it’s less intimidating when you can see someone and communicate with someone who has it.”

A local Parkinson’s support group and a caregivers’ support group have been helpful to her family, Bloms said. Learning more about the disease, the different treatments and self-care options often comes from talking with other families living with Parkinson’s, she said.

“It’s really important, as more and more people are being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, that they understand there’s a support network out there,” Bloms said. “There’s a lot of stories shared about resources, about medication, about insurance. There’s a lot of good conversations that come from those meetings.”

A monthly Parkinson’s Support Group meets the first Wednesday of the month at 2:30 p.m. at Edgewood on 10th. Minot Parkinson’s Care Partners Network for caregivers meets the second Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Parker Senior Center.

The Minot Family YMCA hosts a Parkinson’s exercise group Mondays and Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. or Tuesdays and Thursday at 1 p.m. Parkinson’s boxing classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Trinity West building on the corner of Burdick and Broadway.

Minot State University also offers speech therapy. For information, contact the Communications Disorders Department at 858-3031.