Saturday, January 21, 2017

Happy 2017!

A belated happy new year to you!  We hope that 2017 brings you many blessings.  I've been thinking about the advantages I've had over the 19 1/2 years I've been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Almost all of the people I've known through the Parkinson's years are now deceased.  Yet, I'm still 'perking'.

It helps to have a life partner who loves me, but is happy to get after me when she thinks I need it.  She has been a loving nag and I appreciate her more than I can say.

Other advantages I've had include living in a big city when I received the diagnosis.  Atlanta has medical schools, lots of specialists in every area which is important if you have a movement disorder.  While I began with a neurologist who specialized in headaches, he knew a lot about Parkinson's because he attended a monthly class at Emory which was centered on Parkinson's.  We decided to go to the teacher instead of the student, as great as he was.  Another thing about a big city with a teaching hospital- there are lots of clinical trials to look at and choose.  I participated in two or three exercise classes, a gait trial, and the LOUD program.  I was extremely blessed to participate in an exercise class with an instructor, Kirsten Magee, whose father in law had Parkinson's Disease.  For very little compensation, she met with a group of us Parkies to exercise each week.  Her faithfulness to her students was enough to entice us to make an hour's trek to and from the class for several years.  The other guys in the class- Steve, Ron, Jerry, Wally, Jim, were buddies that I miss.

Our youngest daughter, Laurajane, began working for the Parkinson's Action Network in 2002.  She became the conduit for information about and relationships with members of the Parkinson's community.  Her knowledge of the disease and her determination to get me more involved in my own life were invaluable.  Her knowledge led us to Dr. Michael Okun at the University of Florida in Gainesville.  Dr. Okun was just what I and Nancy needed.  He is so knowledgeable, so caring, so kind, and so efficient and effective in his communication that, even though we lived 360 miles away, we gratefully made the treks back and forth to Gainesville.  During the years with Dr. Okun, I had deep brain stimulation surgery on my right side.  Dr. Kelly Foote, the neurosurgeon in the department, was just as special as Michael Okun.  Nancy and Michael actually cried when we had our last appointment with him.  He has continued to be our help in time of trouble since our move.  Nancy's Mother, who had a deep faith, would have said that Dr. Okun would have many stars in his crown when he arrived in heaven.

When we made the move to northern Virginia to be close to two of our daughters and our five grandchildren, we came with trepidation about finding a neurologist.  We were lucky that Dr. Okun was well acquainted with Dr. Fernando Pagan at Georgetown University Hospital.  He accepted me as a patient at the request of Dr. Okun, and we began our adventure here.  During the four years we've been in Virginia, I've had two battery replacements for my DBS stimulator with Dr. Chris Kalhorn, a neurosurgeon at Georgetown, who is wonderful and I've participated in an Apokyn clinical trial, a Nilotinib (Tasigna) trial, and have been a part of the BIG exercise program.

We've met and talked with so many people, especially after the Tasigna trial, and the resulting publicity it received.  Nancy, especially, has been great in talking with and trying to help the many people who have called who need information and hope. Sharing information with them and receiving information that they shared has been a great help. Special thanks to Mitch Weinberg, Bob and Joann Runk, Donna St. Clair, Larry Almond, Ashley, Don, P.J., Terry Michael, Virginia Greene, Ed Vergano, Judith, Alan and Margery Ginsberg. If I've inadvertently left anyone out, I apologize.

Please continue to respond and comment and add your own take on life with a degenerative disease.  Keep those comments and information flowing.

12 comments:

  1. (Must read)
    I am 64 years of age and was diagnosed with Parkinson's 3 years ago. I experienced shakiness and general reduction of control and tremor on my left hand. I took pramipexole dihydrochloride three times daily for 7 months. In 2016 I started on a herbal formula i purchased from NewLife Herbal Clinic, i read alot of positive reviews about their successful Parkinson's disease herbal treatment. Merely 3 weeks of the PD herbal formula usage my left hand tremor seized followed by other symptoms, i used the Parkinsons disease herbal formula for 8 weeks all my symptoms were reversed. (visit www. newlifeherbalclinic. weebly. com or email newlifeherbalclinic@ gmail. com). Final breakthrough for all suffering from Parkinsons disease... Coleman Sanchez

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  2. I am 56 year old who was diagnosed 4 years ago with Parkinson's. I had severe calf pain, muscle pain, slurred speech, frequent falls, loss of balance, difficulty in getting up from sitting position, i was having a problem accepting my diagnosis, even though I read every thing I could find to read. I was put on Sinemet 3 times daily but it doesn't seem to be helping. I also had difficulty writing now. Getting in bed, turning over. i have had good luck with the other meds like Mirapex, but I was extremely tired of it. I have also noticed cognitive decline, but that is also related to a now-removed brain tumor.As the disease progressed all medication stopped working, i was introduced to Health herbal clinic in Johannesburg who have successful herbal treatment to Parkinson's and other lungs diseases. I spoke to few people who used the treatment here in USA and they all gave a positive response, so i immediately purchased the P.D herbal remedy and commenced usage, i used the herbal supplement for only 8 weeks, all symptoms were unbelievably reversed, herbs are truly gift from God. contact this herbal clinic via their email healthherbalclinic (at) gmail(dot) com or visit www(dot) healthherbalclinic(dot) weebly(dot) com

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  3. I am 56 year old who was diagnosed 4 years ago with Parkinson's. I had severe calf pain, muscle pain, slurred speech, frequent falls, loss of balance, difficulty in getting up from sitting position, i was having a problem accepting my diagnosis, even though I read every thing I could find to read. I was put on Sinemet 3 times daily but it doesn't seem to be helping. I also had difficulty writing now. Getting in bed, turning over. i have had good luck with the other meds like Mirapex, but I was extremely tired of it. I have also noticed cognitive decline, but that is also related to a now-removed brain tumor.As the disease progressed all medication stopped working, i was introduced to Health herbal clinic in Johannesburg who have successful herbal treatment to Parkinson's and other lungs diseases. I spoke to few people who used the treatment here in USA and they all gave a positive response, so i immediately purchased the P.D herbal remedy and commenced usage, i used the herbal supplement for only 8 weeks, all symptoms were unbelievably reversed, herbs are truly gift from God. contact this herbal clinic via their email healthherbalclinic @ gmail. com or visit www. healthherbalclinic. weebly. com

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  4. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease a year ago at the age of 68. For several months I had noticed tremors in my right hand and the shaking of my right foot when I was sitting. My normally beautiful cursive writing was now small cramped printing. And I tended to lose my balance. Neurologist had me walk down the hall and said I didn't swing my right arm. I had never noticed! I was in denial for a while as there is no history in my family of parents and five older siblings, but now accept I had classic symptoms. I was taking pramipexole (Sifrol), carbidopa/levodopa and Biperiden, 2 mg. and started physical therapy to strengthen muscles. nothing was really working to help my condition.I went off the Siferol (with the doctor’s knowledge) and started on parkinson’s herbal formula i ordered from Health Herbal Clinic, my symptoms totally declined over a 5 weeks use of the Parkinsons disease natural herbal formula. i am now almost 70 and doing very well, the disease is totally reversed!! Visit there website www. healthherbalclinic. net

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  5. My husband is 80 years and has been suffering from PD for the past 15 years. Lately he started hallucinating and I didn't know how to handle the situation. He cannot sleep and tried to find and catch the imaginary people who he thinks are real. he was taken Entacapone with Levodopa, Carbidopa, and Pramipexole and started physical therapy to strengthen muscles. nothing was really working to help his condition.I took him off the Siferol (with the doctor’s knowledge) and started him on parkinson’s herbal formula i ordered from Health Herbal Clinic, his symptoms totally declined over a 5 weeks use of the Parkinsons disease natural herbal formula.i read reviews from other previous patients who used the herbal formula, my husband is now active, he can now go about daily exercise!! his symptoms so much reduced that now I hardly notice them.Visit there website www. healthherbalclinicc. weebly. com or email Info@ healthherbalclinic. net

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  6. My husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease nearly 7 years ago, when he was 49. He had a stooped posture, tremors, right arm does not move and also has a pulsating feeling in his body. He was placed on Sinemet for 8 months and then Sifrol was introduced which replaced the Sinemet. During this time span he was also diagnosed with dementia. He started having hallucinations, and lost touch with reality.I searched for alternative treatments and and started him on Parkinson's herbal formula i ordered from Health Herbal Clinic, Just 7 weeks into the Herbal formula treatment he had great improvements with his slurred speech, there is no case of Rigid muscles and Slowed movement (bradykinesia) since treatment, visit Health Herbal Clinic official website www. healthherbalclinic. net or email info@ healthherbalclinic. net. This treatment is incredible!

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  7. My symptoms started at the age of 47. My fingers on my left hand were stiff and were difficult to move. People noticed that my walk was not normal. I was often asked did I hurt. I noticed nothing different about my walk. It was difficult getting up from` a chair and getting out of a car. I was diagnosed a year later ,it was the onset of tremors starting in my right hand that caused my other symptoms to be recognized as Parkinson's.. I am now 59. With the new herbal medicine i purchase from totalcureherbsfoundation .c om  was my only way to get rid of my PD,the herbal formula effectively reverse my condition and alleviate all symptoms. 

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  8. I am a 51 year old female that just found out I have Parkinson's about a year and half, but I have been having signs of it for years, tremors, depression, body weakness. ECT. I honestly don't think my doctor was reading the signs because of my gender and age. A few years ago I had my shoulder lock up on me and I was sent to a P.T since x-rays didn't show any physical damage. My shaking was getting worse and I began falling. Only when my speech became so bad that it brought concern to my dentist was Parkinson's even considered. He phoned my doctor with his concerns about my shaking and balance problems. By this time I was forgoing shots in the back of my neck for back and neck pain to which once again I was sent to a P.T (although x-rays showed no damage) I was told I had a few spurs which were most likely causing the pain. Here I was feeling like my whole body was falling apart and doctor could not find anything wrong, maybe in was all in my head? My doctor even seemed annoyed with me and things just kept progressing and I just kept it to myself, why bother going through testing and them finding nothing? Well, it was after my second P.T called my doctor about the weakness in my legs and arms, by this time I have developed a gait in my walk and I fell more frequently. Only then did my doctor send me to a specialist and it was found that I had Parkinson's, and that I have had it for awhile. I think because I was a woman that my signs and symptoms weren't taken seriously and therefor left untreated for so long,I was taking pramipexole dihydrochloride three times daily, I Was on carbidopa levodopa but only lasted 90 minutes then wore off.I found that none of the current medications worked effective for me.I got tired of using those medication so I decided to apply natural herbs formula that was prescribed to me by my second P.T, i purchase the herbal formula from totalcureherbsfoundation. com, There has been huge progression ever since I start the treatment plan which will last for 15 weeks usage.all the symptoms and sign has begin to disappear .

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  9. My husband was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's disease at 68. His symptoms were shuffling of feet, slurred speech, low volume speech, degradation of hand writing, horrible driving skills, right arm held at 45 degree angle. Things were tough for me, I too was diagnosed of COPD but now we both finally free from these diseases with the help of total cure herbal foundation, He now walks properly and all symptoms has reversed. He had trouble with balance especially at night, getting into the shower and exiting it is difficult. Getting into bed is also another thing he finds impossible. We had to find a better solution for his condition which has really helped him a lot,The biggest helped we had was totalcureherbsfoundation. com They walked us through the proper steps, im highly recommending this herbal formula to anyone who needs help.

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  10. I am here to express my profound warm gratitude to Doctor Lewis Hill herbal medicine, which i got from Dr Lewis Hill. I am now leaving a healthy life since the past 1 Year i am now Parkinson disease free after the application and usage. You can contact for your medication from via Email  lewishill247@gmail.com. Wish you all the best and a happy healing. Thanks and God Bless you for your help doctor

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  11. My spouse completed the recommended Parkinson disease treatment plan last week, she is doing a lot better. There has been a total reduction of symptoms, improved coordination, I am really happy we made a good decision by using these herbal remedies,we ordered it from www. multivitamincare .org

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  12. My father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at 57.his symptoms were shuffling of feet,slurred speech, low volume speech, degradation of hand writing, horrible driving skills, right arm held at 45 degree angle, things were tough for me, but now he finally free from the disease with the help of total cure from ULTIMATE LIFE CLINIC, he now walks properly and all symptoms has reversed, he had trouble with balance especially at night, getting into the shower and exiting it is difficult,getting into bed is also another thing he finds impossible.we had to find a better solution for his condition which has really helped him a lot,the biggest helped we had was ultimate life clinic they walked us through the proper steps,i recommended this www.ultimatelifeclinic.com to anyone who needs there help.

    ReplyDelete