G'day Jerry.  You wrote:

... I included a statement
>that, should I ever be in a coma, my feet will be left UNCOVERED. It
>seems that when I go to bed the temperature of my feet always increases.
>Why? No one seems to know.

I have suffered from hot feet for decades. Always at night.  And always
treated v. simply by sticking them out from the covers.  Funny, since I've
known I have PD theyve not been a bother, but perhaps they only seem less
significant in face of all else.  But I think I'd probably like to copy
your clause, Jerry.

and to me specifically -- you wrote (with great passion! which I
appreciated and enjoyed!):

>   I can't think of anything since the price increase of BBQ sauce that
>makes me more angry than what your doc told you. Something struck me a
>little weird, though. You said he told you how to get a cheap price on
>Selegiline and that was a good thing. It sounds like you didn't raise
>too much of a stink.
>   I would have blown the doors off his office with my screaming, Beth.
>   He has NO RIGHT to deny you the proper medication. NONE!
>   He has a duty to provide the BEST care he can for you. It's all there
>in the Hippocratic Oath and you should tear it off his wall and jam it
>in his face.
>   Don't take that, Beth. It isn't right. You deserve and should demand
>every bit as much medical attention and curative possibilities as the
>President. Those people work for us, not the other way around.
>   Bitch (it does feel good!) and then change doctors and let everyone
>know why.
>   I spent two wasted years avoiding Sinemet, and it was because of my
>own stupidity. I'm on it now and it has saved my life. And besides, no
>one ever said that since I had to quit work I probably didn't need it
>because I was no longer the breadwinner.
>   Jeez!

Jeez?  Phew! You're really mad.  And I thought I'd entered the 'angry'
stage of my grief response to PD.  I have a long way to go yet.

I think what you are seeing in me is a  ? typical 'docile Parkie' - as
discussed here a while back - learning how to get the best deal for herself
in treatment.  And it's not easy.  Like with everything in Parkiedom, we
make haste slowly.  I've always been a cautious, reflective person (it took
me 18 years to leave a disastrous marriage, folks.)  When I take courage
and rush in all hell breaks loose.  I really can stuff up badly.  And
equally by hanging about it seems!

I actually thought I was being very assertive the other day.  I kept
pressing my point ... without ever, I believe, coming straight and directly
to it.  I must have been conditioned never to be explicit about what I
really want/ed.  You are right Jerry.  I didn't make half enough of a
stink.  But I was in a strange place.  And I'd been confronted, for the
first time, with elderly men in advanced stages of PD and suddenly in that
spartan and ugly waiting room not only did all my courage desert me, but I
felt almost fraudulent and I just wated to bolt.  What am I doing here with
these very sick people?  I know I look normal.  Healthy.  Still even
attractive? dare I say.  So I was thrown a bit off balance.

I am finding this whole business such a minefield.  Nothing new about that.
But I can't get myself a total personality transplant just in order to
cope with my PD.  I am, as we all reiterate to each other from time to
time, still the same me underneath the PD.  And actually, if truth be
known, I am a much stronger person now than I was 7 mths ago before I knew
what it was that was bringing me low.

So bear with me - or delete, whichever you choose.  I'm handling it as best
I can.  I'll make my share of mistakes, ruffle a few feathers, give a few
of you a laugh or two (not when i'm tryin' to!) and generally muddle
through.  And I'll always be so thankful that you are all out there.

Now let me tell you the good news.  I was going to wait a day or two longer
to check if it is virtual or real, but since I'm on the topic I'll say it
now.  I'm having a pretty rapid and good response to the Symmetrel.  I've
only had 1 caps (forget the dose, but sm. brown torpedo - dainty thing it
is!) at bedtime for 3 nights.  I was v. grumpy after the first night.
Didnt' sleep well.  Tossed 'n turned.  And I'd been sleeping v. well before
this.  Same on 2nd night.  That day I noticed in the afternoon, while
shopping (bane of my PD life) that I wasn't so fumbly with my purse.
Thought nothing of it.  3rd night woke several times but slept again
quickly and well.  Woke this morning to greatly increased movement in my
l-hand.  My daughter (she's an RN) saw it do its tricks and is sure it's no
placebo effect.  I certainly had neither faith nor hope of ANY positive
effect. Was v. cynical about it.  So I think it's real.  I've been at the
keyboard for hours today (when I should have been doing other things) and
tho' my back is aching a bit I'm actually feeling quite fresh, and my
l-hand is playing a muhc greater ole in all this than usual. With
occasional obvvious lapses!

So.  I seem to have caused a bit of a rumpus.  But perhaps the neuro is
right.  I'm just happy to have any improvement. It does seem to me that
seeing as I've had such a rapid and significant response from a drug that
is known only to give minimal relief that had I been given l-dopa I'd have
gone over the top however low the dose.  I'm attributing this response as
much to my own metabolic receptiveness as to my level of need of treatment.
I think it is reasonable to assume that if I'm eating a diet designed to
eliminate all possible/likely allergens/irritants and to promote optimal
uptake of nutrients, this will play a role in enabling rapid uptake of
medications.  I dont know.  But it seems feasible to me.

Thankyou all for your support and advice.  It's good to have you around
while taking these tottering steps.  Apologies for being long-winded.

Best wishes to you all

Beth

On the subject of 'muddling through', someone once wrote a paper/?book with
that as a title - in the field of Public Administration.  Some years later
the same person wrote a sequel titled "Still Muddling - Not Yet Through".
I like it!