How Art and Deep Brain Stimulation Help One Man Live Fully With Parkinson’s Disease
For artist Freddy Trujillo, painting and deep brain stimulation restored movement, purpose and joy after a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
“I walked past the mirror and I didn’t recognize myself.”
That is how Freddy Trujillo describes one of the most striking moments of his life. His eyes wouldn’t blink. His face was rigid. His movements were no longer the same. Something was wrong. Soon after, the diagnosis arrived.
Parkinson’s disease.
A Life Changed by Parkinson’s Disease
Trujillo has devoted his life to art in multiple forms: television director, poet and painter. Accustomed to expression, control and presence, he had to leave that chapter of his life behind. But what he did not lose was the essence of a fighter.
“Parkinson’s picked the wrong person,” he said, jokingly.
That was when he decided painting would be his path.
“And I said, ‘Well, I’m going to paint. I’m going to keep painting and I’m going to make a living from painting,’” Trujillo said.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, causing symptoms such as tremors, stiffness and slowness. Henry Paul Moore, M.D., an associate professor in the Movement Disorders Division at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said the condition occurs due to a lack of dopamine in the brain, which creates an “electrical chaos” that disrupts normal body function.
When Medication Was No Longer Enough
Trujillo was diagnosed at the age of 60, in 2012. Over time, medications proved ineffective.
“He reached a point where the medications, despite taking them multiple times a day, only provided relief for about eight hours,” Dr. Moore said. “The rest of the time he experienced significant stiffness, tremor and slowness. Many of those hours were unpredictable. We call that off time, when the medications are not working.”
For patients like him, there is an advanced option. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) involves implanting electrodes in the brain that send electrical impulses to regulate neural activity. Small openings are made in the skull to guide these wires into deep brain regions.
“These electrodes are connected to a device like a pacemaker placed under the skin in the chest and are not visible. This device delivers electrical impulses that help restore balance in the brain and relieve motor symptoms,” Dr. Moore said.
For Trujillo, the change was dramatic. He went from having only a few “good” hours a day to having predominantly good hours.
“The tremor improved, as did the slowness and stiffness,” Dr. Moore said. “We were even able to reduce the dose and frequency of his medications by more than half. It truly changed his life.”
Why Art Helps the Brain Heal and Adapt
Thanks to the stimulation, Trujillo was able to again pursue his passion for painting. Painting helps him focus, forget everything else and live in the moment. Each brushstroke, each color, each decision keeps him engaged.
“When you paint, there is no space to think about anything else,” Trujillo said.
“Art stimulates areas of the brain related to creativity and promotes neuroplasticity. It helps other parts of the brain compensate for affected areas,” Dr. Moore said. “It can also improve mood, reduce anxiety and depression and enhance cognitive function and coordination.”
Connecting Through Art: Supporting Others with Parkinson’s
Today, Trujillo guides other Parkinson’s patients through the program “Connecting Through Art,” led by the American Parkinson Disease Association. His approach is simple.
“I don’t teach them to draw,” he said. “I teach them to enjoy. We all know we have Parkinson’s. So, no one talks about tremors. Here, we are all equal.”
And in that safe space, many realize they still have the ability to create.
“It makes me happy when they discover they can do it,” Trujillo said.
UHealth’s comprehensive approach is not only about medication. Care plans may incorporate complementary therapies such as exercise and art, which help improve a patient’s quality of life.
Trujillo does not claim he has conquered Parkinson’s. But he has learned to live with it and to keep moving forward.
“I have always been a fighter,” he said.
For more information about upcoming art workshops at UHealth’s “Connecting Through Art,” call 561-214-2856 or email [email protected].
More from the Miller School of Medicine
Dr. Leonard Petrucelli leads two major grants advancing collaborative Parkinson’s disease research at the Miller School.
A new deep brain stimulation strategy developed at The Miami Project improves walking in Parkinson’s disease and perhaps spinal cord injury.
Researchers at the Miller School are studying the ways neuronal inflammasomes help the brain respond to stress, infection or injury.
Ihtsham ul Haq, M.D., shares how artificial intelligence is bringing greater objectivity, consistency and speed to Parkinson’s diagnoses.
Article based on video written and produced by Shirley Ravachi for Cuidando Su Salud, a series of health care stories regularly broadcast on Telemundo 51.