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Thank you for your kind words. I wish you good luck too. Elaine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Emily and Julian Brinac" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 6:49 AM Subject: Re: Forgetfulness > Elaine, > Do not blame yourself too much. In my opinion there are many reasons for > forgetfulness, such as too much medication, not enough medication, > pressure from job, surrounding, relationship, etc. In my particular > case, although my husband has been just diagnosed and he is not on any > medication as yet, his cognitive function is progressively impaired, > partly due to the anxiety itself. We discussed certain things and when > we go back to them sometimes the matter is new to him 100% and he says > he does not remember previous discussion or he never herd me talking > about it. Regardless of the circumstances, I hope you will develop a > meaningful relationship with your boyfriend. By you knowing and > understanding PD will help you to challenge the life ahead with what > appears to be a person that you greatly care about. I congratulate you > that you came out on open with your feelings. There are not many people > that can do that as openly as you did. GOOD LUCK! > Emily > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Elaine War" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 7:47 PM > Subject: Re: Forgetfulness > > > > THANK YOU SO MUCH!! You didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. > I > > just chose not to see it!! > > I appreciate your bluntness. Yes, I have imposed stress and I should > have > > known better. > > > > All I can say is "thank you, thank you" for a HUGE wake up call! > > > > Elaine > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <[log in to unmask]> > > To: <[log in to unmask]> > > Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 4:13 PM > > Subject: Re: Forgetfulness > > > > > > > > My boyfriend is in a high stress job which requires a tremendous > amount > > of > > > detailed concentration. As long as I have known him - about a year > (he has > > > been diagnosed with Parkinson's for about 8 years) he has been > forgetful > > and > > > I have no way of knowing how much was just him and how much can be > > > attributed to Parkinson's. > > > > > > > > At the moment he is under extreme pressure as he is winding down > his > > job - > > > thankfully! I have begged him for the last few weeks to go and see > his PD > > > doc but he insists on waiting until he finishes the final project he > is > > > working on which will be next week (but that seems a lifetime away). > There > > > has been a definite deterioration in his condition recently but I > was > > > horrified today to find that he has no recollection of a fairly > indepth > > > conversation we had yesterday. He said if he thought hard enough it > might > > > come back to him. > > > > > > > > Does anyone have experience of this and if so do you think it is > stress > > > related or purely PD related and > > > > > > Elaine, > > > > > > I think it is inappropriate and unfair for me to > speculate > > about > > > the psychological and cognitive state of your boyfriend and the > dynamics > > of > > > your relationship with your boyfriend. But most PWP experience > > > "deterioration," greater difficulties and aggravation of symptoms > when > > under > > > stress. Here your boyfriend has stress from his job, which, > although this > > > stress is apparently a considerable amount of stress, it will end in > a > > week. > > > He also has stress imposed by you, described as you as pressure to > see a > > > doctor about his deterioration and pressure to recall a specific, > lengthy > > > conversation with you. > > > > > > I was evaluated by a neuropsychologist because I was > experiencing > > > cognitive problems after I was diagnosed with PD. I was concerned > about > > the > > > change in my memory,. but the psychologist said that my memory > seemed to > > be > > > functioning at a rather high level (although he had no prior testing > and > > > evaluation to establish a baseline for functioning of my memory > prior to > > the > > > diagnosis for PD). He said a problem, which was characteristic of > PWPs, > > was > > > with "attention and concentration." The problems with attention and > > > concentration could block information from getting into the memory. > Also, > > if > > > pressured or under stress, when expected to recall information from > > memory, I > > > might not be able to intentionally recall information from my > memory. > > > > > > When I was first diagnosed with PD, I was given the standard > > > information that PD was a movement disorder with specific physical > > symptoms. > > > I was later given, or found, information that PD does effect > cognitive > > > functioning--everything for that matter! My employment disability > was > > based > > > upon the neuropsychologist's evaluation and my problems with > cognitive > > > functioning. I have a medical textbook which is devoted entirely > to the > > > cognitive effects of PD. Apparently many, many PWP have, > particularly in > > the > > > later stages of the disease, problems with cognitive functioning > and/or > > > dementia. And these problems, as well as physical symptoms, are > clearly > > > aggravated by stress. > > > > > > You think your boyfriend needs to see his PD doctor about his > > recent > > > "deterioration." You are probably correct. I would just suggest, > since > > his > > > major stress from his job will end in one week and he seems > unwilling > > anyway > > > to see his doctor until the job is finished, that you consider > reducing > > the > > > stress you put on him about your relationship and about seeing the > doctor > > > until after his job stress ends. This suggestion is not meant to be > > > flippant, or insensitive to your needs or your stress and discomfort > in > > the > > > past several weeks, and it does not foreclose the possiblity of > emergency, > > or > > > more immediate, intervention if you deem it necessary. His response > to > > you > > > that he might be able to recall your conversation later after he > thinks > > about > > > it, when he is no longer under stress, and stress from you to > recall that > > > specific information, indicates to me that it is possible he may > have the > > > combination of cognitive problems and stress which I and many other > PWPs > > > have. You are the only person who can know if his comments are due > to his > > > personality or "Mr. P.D. talking." > > > > > > Hopefully, once your boyfriend's stress is removed, or > becomes more > > > manageable, his condition will also improve. And, then, the burdens > and > > > stresses on you, and the relationship, should also be improve. Just > some > > > armchair psychologizing from a PWP. Katie > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn