Linda G...

A warm welcome to ya from another Southern California (San Fernando Valley
area) gal with PD.

I'm pleased ya decided to speak out...

Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]
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From:   Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of Linda Greulich
Sent:   Wednesday, October 15, 1997 12:29 AM
To:     Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN
Subject:        Finally saying hello (long)

Well, I guess I should almost feel guilty that I have not done this sooner,
but, here goes.  Before I begin I would like to say thank you to all
participants, I have thoroughly enjoyed "listening in."
My name is Linda Greulich, I was diagnosed with PD in 1993.  Although, I was
noticing symptoms for past 2 or 3 years at least ( I am sure many of you or
maybe even most of you would say the same).  I am 48 years young.  Basically
symptom was a slight "twitch" in my left hand between my thumb and fore
finger.  Nothing much just interesting.  Then "twitching" became more
consistant.  Then came more of a shaking in left hand and noticed (mostly
when I was driving) that my left foot was tightening up and I would try to
relax it with very little success.  By this time I realized I wasn't moving
my left arm when I walked and my left hand was in a "cripled like state"  a
lot of the time.  I knew I needed to do something.  My primary care
physician, at first asked about my intake of calcuim, but, as things
progressed she ordered an MRI.  Then sent me to a neuro, who by the way is
not a motor disorder specialist.  He performed a classic PD neuro test of
the walk, mobility of limbs, writing etc.  Then next appointment he said
looked like PD.  Started me on Eldepryl  5 mg 2 x's per day.  It made me
very nauseous, but, the idea it might slow the progression, made it more
appealing.  1993 and 1994 tremor basically the same, not that big of a deal,
just mostly humbling.  I sing in the choir at church and found that standing
for long periods of time was uncomfortable due to the curling under of my
toes and the vibration in my leg and foot.   1995 my left leg just didn't
want to come with me without additional effort.  The tremors increased, my
trying to "hide" my tremor was becoming more difficult.  I work for a very
large chain of newspapers.  I started with them in 1989 as an advertising
sales rep and worked my way up to the number 2 position in the advertising
department with hopes of becoming director and then publisher.  I was
responsible for 4 sales managers, 17 sales reps and 3 assistants and
millions of dollars of business.  As everyone knows in Southern California,
we hit a recession, and of course that hurt advertising revenues, big
businesses were closing in our area, military airports were closing and the
small businesses were closing or holding on by a thread.  Needless to say,
the pressure was extreme, I have always seemed to excell in pressure even
with all the long hours, but, by 1996, something was happening to me.  My
tremors were progressing, my mental focus was failing me and my ability to
complete large tasks in a relatively short period of time was also short
circuiting.  My left hand had basically become crippled and with heavy
tremors.  I finally asked my neuro to give me Sinemet.  I had held off due
to hearing the limited time of effectiveness but, I could not use my left
hand anymore when typing on my computer and could not hide my tremors
anymore and since I was in front of groups of people all the time, I could
not stand the embarrassment.  By the way, I might add right here, that I too
like so many was basically in denial or la la land in year one.  I had
decided not to tell my company or anyone at work about the PD.  I did tell
friends, family and my church family.  I was afraid if the company knew,
they might try to get rid of me or it might hurt my chances for advancement.
My neuro gradually moved me to 6 25/100 Sinemet 3 times per day and still
taking Eldepryl 5 mg 2 times per day.  The Sinemet worked wonderfully and
within a very short period of time, I had very little tremor.  The only real
symptom that did not improve as much was my left leg, still would and does
lock up and never comes along naturally.  About April of 1996, all hell
broke out at work, my boss was under attack by the publisher and you know
what happens, it goes done hill.  He was a good guy, just buckled under the
pressure which meant we had more work, more busy meaningless work and

redoing projects over and over.  So the power play went between director and
publisher.  I was working mega hours.  In October 1996, I started getting
extremely fatiqued, constantly catching one flu after another, sinus
infections etc.  My primary care physician was running every test you could
imagine to try to help me.  My allergist was a true doll and helped me get
on some herbs, vitamins etc. to build my immune system and respritory
system.  But, depression, fatigue etc.  was continuing to grow.  I was
missing work all the time it seemed, which was so uncharacteristic of me.
Then my boss the director, finally found another job (better one too) and a
new director came in in November.  I have now given her her true name and
identity as "The wicked witch of the West."  She continues to live up to
this name daily.  Well, to make this long story a little shorter.  My
fatigue, mental focus, etc.  was continuing and my doctor said I needed to
take at least 3 months off to get well and be able to differentiate between
PD and stress and whatever else may be complicating things.  So, April 7 I
did take the needed time. I had no clue how bad off I really was.  The
unfortunate part of all of this is my PD symptoms are basically under
control, but, the mental focus, fatique, depression etc seems is here to
stay.  My depression is controlled well with Paxil 40 mg 1 time per day,
but, neuro took me off Eldepryl due to possible adverse reactions.  I was
disappointed to stop the Eldepryl due to its possible slowing of PD.    I am
going on permenant disability as of this month.  Fortunately my company has
a long term disability program and I am awaiting the approval, which I am
told is basically a formality.
Thanks to so many of you people, I learned that I needed to see what worked
for me with my meds so I now take Sinemet (the same 6 pills) approximately
every 2 hours instead of 2  3 times per day (which made me very nauseous).
One pill doesn't seem to make me very nauseous.  I am very thankful to God
for His ever present peace, guidance and grace and to all my church family
for their prayers, support and special listening ears and to all of you for
sharing your hurts, joys, laughter, opinions etc.  By the way, I say, keep
the humor coming!  A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken
spirit drieth the bones, Proverbs 17:22.
I know this was long, but, I have found the introductions to be very helpful
to me to realize the similarities etc.  Hopefully, mine could do the same
for someone.


Linda Greulich (48/4) [log in to unmask]