Val Parnell wrote:
>
> Hello Everybody,
>
>         My Dad was diagnosed 10 years ago with Parkinsons.   When my mom
> first told me I thought it would just progress so slowly that it wouldn't
> really be so bad.
> WOW....was I from another planet or what   !!!!!!

Val,
I know exactly how you feel.  When I took over sole care of my 87 year
old grandmother 2 1/2 years ago I knew she had Parkinson's but I just
assumed that since she was 80 when diagnosed that it would progress
slowly and not really give us too much of a problem.  I must have been
from that same planet you were talking about!

In April of this year
> when my Dad came to visit me  I noticed that there were allot of very scary
> things happening to him.   My Dad doesn't like to talk about  PD it depresses
> him even more, so I decided to try and use the internet to find out if these
> were symptoms of Parkinsons.  Well I ended up spending an entire day reading
> and down loading massive amounts of informations then it sunk in and I cried
> for 2 days straight.

Ditto on this part too.  My grandmother began having a lot of symptoms
that her primary care physician didn't seem to be familiar with and I
turned to the internet and, lo and behold, there they all were and it was
her Parkinson's.  I was very surprised that her doctor wouldn't know or
at least suspect.

>..  As a result, my mom and I found
> the name of a neurologist who specializes in Parkinsons and is located in the
> same city as me then we got an appointment on June 18, 1997.   My mom and dad
> have to drive 250 miles to get here but it was worth it.  My dad's medications
> have been changed  ( for the first time in ten years )  and we have another
> appointment in six months.  I guess to most of you this must seem pretty
> ridiculous to have had PD for ten years and  just now find a neurologist who
> is interested in the disease.   Believe me it can happen when you live in a
> small remote town where the doctors know very little about Parkinsons and
> where neurologists, support groups  or even another person with Parkinsons  DO
> NOT EXIST !!   Thank God for the internet !!!!   I have information at my
> fingertips and now I actually  have other people who want to talk about this
> disease.

First of all, it doesn't seem ridiculous to me at all.  We just have to
learn as much as we can so we can do our best to help our loved ones' who
are stricken.  I didn't realize until approximately two weeks ago, after
I joined this list, that my grandmother should be being treated by a
neurologist.  You are very lucky that your dad is able to travel to the
appointment with the neurologist. My grandmother goes to her first
appointment with a neurologist next week.  Unfortunately, I too am in a
smaller town and we do not have access to a neurologist who specializes
in movement disorders.  My grandmother is not able to travel far at this
point, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that this neurologist will be
able to help her.

I am new myself, but I welcome you to the list and feel sure you will
gain valuable information and support.  I know I have.

Sincerely,


Lori Bauer  [log in to unmask]