Parkinson’s disease not an obstacle for local agent




Don Liebman

Don Liebman


Don Liebman, a long-time community resident and State Farm insurance agent, has no qualms about discussing his battle with Parkinson’s disease. While people with the illness often shy away from publicly discussing their condition, Liebman has two motives that prevent him from keeping his disease in the shadows.

“I do a lot of good work for people with Parkinson’s disease in the area,” said Liebman. “People often call me for advice about the disease. I was misdiagnosed for nearly five years, and I now know what to do and where to refer people.”

The second reason for Liebman’s candid acknowledgment of his disease is to dispel rumors about his career.

“The buzzards are circling,” said Liebman. “There are lots of rumors being spread by my competitors that I’m getting out, that I’m dying and that I’m not going to be there for my clientele.”

While Liebman avoids management responsibilities, and doesn’t solicit new business, he still advises old clients and is more than happy to meet with clients who’ve been referred to him.

Liebman said it took five different doctors five years to accurately diagnosis his condition. He said that what began as job “burnout” in the early ’90s progressed to trembling and movement problems by the end of the decade.

“Before I was diagnosed, I had trouble getting out a chair, trouble getting out of a car and the trembling I had noticed earlier was progressively getting worse,” said Liebman. “The strange thing was that I never had trouble running while playing sports such as tennis and softball.”

Liebman’s illness wasn’t confirmed until he underwent a special scan that allowed doctors to monitor his brain activity.

One of the major problems with diagnosing Parkinson’s disease is that there is no X-ray or blood test that automatically confirms the illness. Instead, doctors often rely on administering a number of tests to rule out other diseases before they can make an accurate assessment.

“One of the problems with Parkinson’s disease is that people go to see neurologists rather than movement disorder specialists,” said Liebman. “When I finally did see the right doctor and received an accurate diagnosis, I felt a great sense of relief because I finally had an explanation for what was happening to me.”

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that occurs when nerve cells within the substantia nigra region of the brain die or become impaired. These cells are responsible for releasing dopamine which allows for the smooth, coordinated control of muscles. As more cells die, people lose more control over their movements and begin to suffer from symptoms such as trembling, rigidity, a shuffling walk and difficulty balancing.

Additionally, Parkinson’s doesn’t distinguish between sex, race or class. There are about 60,000 new cases each year and 1.5 million Americans currently suffer from the disease.

Treatment for Parkinson’s does not target the disease itself but instead addresses the symptoms. People who suffer from the disease usually take medication such as Levodopa which interacts with brain enzymes to provide the body with supplemental dopamine.

Surgery is an option for treatment, but the risks and cost of brain surgery often prompt people to seek other options.

While Liebman is currently taking medication, he’s developed his own approach to combating the illness.

“Parkinson’s is a disease that tries to pull the body apart,” said Liebman. “I figure that as long as I’m exercising and staying active, I ’ l l be able to strengthen my body faster than the disease can wreck it.”

Liebman stays very active and still finds pride in his golf game, attributing his excellent short game to learning to putt “between the tremors.”

Regarding his business, Liebman said his office still operates in high gear. After 30 years of service he has built one of the largest State Farm agencies in California. He said even with his illness, retirement may still be a long time away.

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