Ordinary Life, A Podcast About Parkinson's.

Emma talks about her appointment at Auckland Hospital for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), an invasive yet effective treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson's. How does she feel, and how does one cope with the prospect of such major surgery?

Contains graphic descriptions of treatments.

Kitty and Mike discuss what they have learned over the year.

Kitty and Mike talk about their 2025 and hopes for 2026. Emma will be back in 2026!

Discussing the mental mind games we play with ourselves, and how other people perceive the cause of our issues.

We talk about the reintroduction of prescription charges and how its increasing the costs of chronic illness on families.

We get riled up about the grim stories about Parkinson's that charities use to attract donations, and how difficult hearing them can be for people trying to live positively with Parkinson's. Are we just being difficult? Or are these contradictory things both true - that it is hard living with Parkinson's AND possible to live positively with it?

Is it a good idea to fess up that you have PD to your boss or prospective employer? What happens if you do and they discriminate against you?

Is honesty the best policy when it comes to opening up to others about your diagnosis? And can you deal with the whispers of sympathy?

How do you cope when you realise that your life is not going to follow the direction you imagined? Emma and Kitty discuss 'self-grief' - their term for this agonising situation. They express their feelings and explain how grief can turn to anger and other emotions.

#kittyandemma #emmaandkitty #kittyd

Inspired after watching a drama that implied that all drugs are bad, Kitty and Emma chat about attitudes towards medication and taking many pills. Is it really acceptable to question if people need the medication they are prescribed? What alternatives are there?

Kitty Fitton is on a mission to prove that disability and illness doesn’t mean the end of life as we know it. She writes about hating exercise, coping with blended families, Parkinson’s, and trying to reach the bottom of the laundry basket.

In this episode the girls talk about the senses and how they may be affected when dealing with Parkinson's.

Kitty and Emma catch up for a debrief on stress in their lives (and how to manage it down) and end up discussing disability parking.

Kitty Fitton is on a mission to prove that disability and illness doesn’t mean the end of life as we know it. She writes about hating exercise, coping with blended families, Parkinson’s, and trying to reach the bottom of the laundry basket.

Mike, Kitty and Emma discuss the impact of Mike's out of hospital cardiac arrest, and how he often feels that he has no support network of his own.

In this heartfelt episode of Ordinary Life, Kitty and Emma welcome back Kitty’s husband, Mike, to share his remarkable story of survival after a sudden cardiac arrest in 2020. One moment he was racing his motorbike; the next, he was clinically dead for over half an hour. Against all odds, Mike pulled through — but life since has been far from simple.

Together, the trio talk about trauma, recovery, invisible disabilities, and redefining identity after life-changing events. Mike opens up about brain fatigue, loss of work, and the slow process of accepting a “new normal,” while Kitty and Emma ref...

Kitty and Emma discuss the many ways that Parkinson's steals away our precious time.

In this episode we discuss what things we have promised ourselves... that are still on thie list.

Kitty and Emma discuss managing medication and dealing with 'drop offs' when they just don't seem to work any more.

In this episode we discuss the rock and hard place of wanting people to be compassionate when we tell them that we have Parkinson's, while also getting regularly annoyed when they do!

Kitty and Emma discuss food, diet and how it impacts their life with Parkinson's.

An irreverant look at life with chronic illness with Kitty Doyle (FItton) and Emma Kyriacou.

Kitty and Emma discuss how they felt upon finding their diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. Offering an irreverent look at real life with a chronic illness, there's serious information mixed with fun and laughter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #parkinsonsdisease #kittyd #kittydoyle #ordinarylife

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Kitty and Kevin.

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

Why is it considered so remarkable that I can get out of bed on a morning and function? Be coherent, have value? Why do we expect those with disabilities to be past it?

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #dyskinesia #dbs #deepbrainstimulation #brainsurgery #frankenstein #youngonsetparkinsons #invisible

Kitty Fitton talks about having to accept changes in life and coming to terms with making difficult decisions. People have odd perceptions and she wants to kick back!

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #dyskinesia #dbs #deepbrainstimulation #brainsurgery #frankenstein #youngonsetparkinsons #invisible

This week I unpack toxic positivity. #kittyfitton #ordinarylife #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #dyskinesia #youngonsetparkinsons #invisibledisability #kittyfitton #ordinarylife #chronicillness #realwomen #coastaccessradio #nzonair

Could this be the research we've been waiting for? Could it finally be the breakthrough? Kitty and Emma discuss their feelings about looking at all the information about Parkinson’s.

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #dyskinesia #Herantis #herantispharma #research #youngonsetparkinsons #invisible #nzonair #coastaccessradio

Ever heard of DBS or Deep Brain Stimulation? Kitty and Emma discuss this very useful yet quite terrifying sounding surgery for the symptoms of Parkinson's.

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #dyskinesia #dbs #deepbrainstimulation #brainsurgery #frankenstein #youngonsetparkinsons #invisible

It's hard trying not to give in. Emma and Kitty both have early onset Parkinson's. Sometimes it's difficult to see the good things around us. It would be easy to just stop. Join us as we chat about what's been going on for us, and how we cope with the daily grind with PD.

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #dyskinesia #youngonsetparkinsons #invisible

Kitty talks to Sheena from Dementia Wellington about how to deal with and help those affected by it. Can we try to prevent dementia at all? What do you do if you think you may suffer with it, or how do you help loved ones cope?

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #dementia #alzheimers #alzheimersdiseasd #stress

Today on Coast Access Radio 104.7 FM - This time it's personal. Kitty talks to the fabulous Catherine about her recent struggles, the very real threat of stress and how she keeps going!

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#kittyfitton #parkinsons #radioshow #ordinarylife #disability #chronicillness #realwomen #yopd #invisibledisability #stress

Alison and Kitty talk about coping with Chron's Disease, a terrible thing that renders sufferers with the need to urgently need toilets. This is no joke,yet they still find that laughter in the face of adversity works wonders.

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#yopd #youngonsetparkinsons #invisibledisability #invisible #disability #chronicillness #radioshow #coastaccessradio #nzonair #ordinarylife #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #familylife #whanau #chrons #chronsdisease

Kitty talks to Amelia about coping with a Mum with Parkinson's.

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#yopd #youngonsetparkinsons #invisibledisability #invisible #disability #chronicillness #radioshow #coastaccessradio #nzonair #ordinarylife #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #familylife #whanau #motherhood #daughter

Kitty catches up with Emma as they discuss their experiences with life, families, coping with frustration and Parkinson's.

Kitty meets Mandy, who began having terrible headaches after a fall. How does one cope with debilitating pain day after day?

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#yopd #youngonsetparkinsons #invisibledisability #invisible #disability #chronicillness #radioshow #coastaccessradio #nzonair #ordinarylife #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #headaches #headache #migraine #pain #alternative #outsidethebox

Kitty catches up with Mike Doyle, who survived a Sudden Cardiac Arrest and over 30 minutes of CPR that saved his life. Find out how it affected his mindset towards life, his future plans and the relationships with those around him. #kittyfitton #ordinarylife #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #cardiacarrestsurvivor #suddencardiacarrest #sca #yopd #invisibledisability #disability #chronicillness #radioshow #coastaccessradio #nzonair

How does one cope when you're in constant pain but you can't seem to get help? Kitty talks to Lisa about her daily struggles with pain.

Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

#immflamation #pain #kittyfitton #ordinarylife #parkinsons #neurology #coastaccessradio #nzonair

Kitty talk to Catherine Scullen how she often really feels about the day to day life balancing children, work and everything in between whilst dealing with a debilitating disease. Keep up with Kitty via her website Instagram Facebook and Twitter. #kittyfitton #ordinarylife #parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #neurology #dyskinesia #youngonsetparkinsons #invisibledisability #invisible #disability #chronicillness #radioshow #coastaccessradio #nzonair

What is it like to live life on 'the Spectrum?' Kitty talks to Kieran about living with neuro diversity.

Keep up with Kitty on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. With thanks to Coast Access Radio 104.7 FM and New Zealand on Air.

Kitty and Emma are both Mothers with busy lives. They are ordinary people just trying to get on with their lives, yet both have been diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s. You can follow Kitty on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.