Dear List,
I wanted to share with you Bob's
wonderful results from his second DBS surgery. First, some background
(very condenced):
- Bob is 50, diagnosed about 10 years
ago.
- Initially he had a tremor, but more
rigidity.
- 1997 had a pallidotomy, (Dr. Jim
Schumacher, FL) tremor ceased.
- The Rigidity and more and more
freezing and slowness still remained.
- January, 2000, he had a DBS
implanted in his right brain for his left side (which was always his worse
side). (Dr. Jim Schumacher)
- Right after surgery, did not do well, in
fact, got much worse.
- Added meds, got slightly
better.
- October 20, 2000 had the second DBS
performed (on is left brain). (Dr. Jim Schumacher)
- Nov. 22, 2000 at 1:15 P.M. the DBS was
turned on.
Bob has been doing great ever
since! He usually takes 4 Requip, 2 reg. Sinemet 25/100 and 3
Sinemet CR 25/100 each day. Yesterday (Thanksgiving) he took ONE reg.
Sinemet and today he took ONE Sinemet CR!!!!!!! He can dress himself, he
can get up out of a chair 99% of the time, he now smiles. Today we went to
see a movie, we held hands. It has been 2 years since he was able to sit
through an entire movie. Last night he slept through the night (he is
still taking one Ambien, but he never slept straight through the night, he hopes
to get off of them too). I hope that this large reduction in Sinemet
will not hurt him.? The Neuro said if he felt ok, don't take it, if he
felt he needed it, then take it. We will see the surgeon on Monday (I am
sure he will be soooo amazed). I only pray that this continues. Dr.
Chris van der Linden (of our List) did explain to me months ago that with Bob's
symptoms of rigidity and freezing that he HAD to have two brain stimulators in
order to see any improvement, and he was so right!
The only draw back (very minor) is that
his speech is slightly slurred. The doctors explained that his voice may become
weaker, but his voice was already quite weak and soft, but now it has more
inflection but slurred.
I only wish all Parkies could have this
surgery with these results! We are so hopeful that this is the start of
the rest of his life.
We truly had a wonderful
Thanksgiving,
Jackie Gilman