Dear Erik:
It has been something like 18 years ago that I was wondering about
how long I would be able to do this and that, and the doctors were not very
open with me on such questions. Their main strategy seemed to be to
encourage me to keep up with my job and all of my activities as long as I
could.I was 53 at the time and was dragging my left leg and had occasional
tremoring.
I was working as a Veterinary Medical Officer with duties such as
epdemiology studies of herds (mostly cattle and swine) in an area which
covered the NE quarter of Iowa drawing blood samples and TB testing mostly
dairy cattle herds. I had many other duties also, but had the luxury of
planning my own work since my supervisors were in Des Moines about 150 miles
away.
I continued to work for 7 more years, and was not forced out at
that time. I was more aware than my supervisor was that I could no longer
give a day's work for a days pay. I had some very interesting experiences
in those last few years.
Looking back , I may have made a mistake by accepting a job as
Asst. Area Veterinarian in Waltham, Ma and we moved to the Boston Area in
1985. I had expected that I would be more compatible with office duties
rather than field duties, but I failed to fully take into account the
pressures involved in supervision.
I am still fairly proficient at the keyboard and with the mouse. I
drove my car until reaching 70 in March, I finally have reluctantly accepted
my wife as my chauffeur.I have only had a problem with stairs this past
year. Now a full flight of stairs is quite daunting. Mostly because of low
blood pressure so I tend to become light headed. We will be installing more
railings in our house which has half flight stairs. and a landing as we go
from the garage level to the living room level. This is known as a split
foyer house.
Three of my grandparents are Norwegian; and Mom's parents both
immigrated to the Midwest in the late part of the 19th century. Dad's mother
was of Danish blood.I have a little sign on our patio that says "Norwegian
Crossing".
We all are rather unique in our response to this very complex
disease. Maybe you can glean an idea or two from my experiences.
Kindest Regards, Bill Olson, 70 now, diagnosed at 53
----- Original Message -----
From: Erik Wikene <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 3:52 AM
Subject: New member from Norway
> Hello everybody!
>
> This is my first email to the list. Hopefully i am doing everything
> right. I received tons of mails last weekend, so i have to learn how to
> reduce some of the noice.
>
> I have recently been diagnosed PD. I am on Eldepryl (selegiline), and
> have lost of lots of questions: Today my right hand shakes. That all the
> tremors you can see. For how long will this be the only problem i have?
> For how long will i be able to hit the right letter on the keyboard, and
> use the mouse? For how long will i be able to work? I live in a 2 floors
> house. For how long will i be able to walk the stairs? For how long will
> i be able to drive my car?
>
> I'm not afraid of all this, but i need to be prepaired!!!!
>
> I will ask all these questions to my doctor, but you are the best to
> know!!
>
> Regards,
> Erik
>
