“it would bother my stomach at first, but then your body adjusts. it wasn’t a dramatic effect. because that was really early times when my symptoms were relatively benign,” he says of the drug regimen.
on the upside, the medication allowed him to perform in a couple of last musical shows in toronto, including priscilla queen of the desert, based on the oscar-winning iconic australian film about three friends who take their drag show to the middle of the outback.
“that show went great, and i had a great time playing it. we were just like a little rock band playing disco music. i did one more show a couple years after that, but that was the end of my theatre.”
adjusting his tune to a new life with parkinson’s
how do you make a living with a progressive neurogenerative disease that starts to affect speech and balance, as in myers’ case?
you deal with it. myers got certified in a special breathing technique that promotes deeper breathing through your nose and less through the mouth. he planned to launch a business to teach the breathing technique, but it never quite got off the ground. he benefitted personally, though, because the method helped his mental and physical health, adding to his disease management toolbox. being proactive and doing as much as you can is important.