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Rayilyn, If you are going to forward the horror stories like Deborah's to your friends I would also hope you would forward the stories that are not so "sensational" as well. Any surgical procedure can have complications, whether it is having a tooth removed or an appendectomy. DBS normally causes little or no pain. I find it incredible that Deborah would do it all again --- but then she was able to witness the benefit first hand and wants to live a normal life. Steve's procedure was merely an few days inconvenience by comparison. Here is a short form of his story. My brother, Steve, was diagnosed with PD at age 44 (the year before our father died from PD complications at age 78. By age 49, Steve could walk only occasionally and crawled on his hands and knees most of the time before DBS. Had dyskinetia so severe his clothes would slide off his body while "resting" in an easy chair. He had bilateral STN DBS in April of 1998. Three days after DBS he was walking normally with some freezing --- stims not yet turned on. Two weeks after surgery he was driving trucks and tractors and operating farm machinery. Two months after DBS he was up on the roof helping his son install a new window in their home. Steve was the very first patient to have bilateral STN DBS for PD in Chicago at Rush Medical Center. It will be 4 years next month. Steve is still on some medication. DBS is NOT a cure but Steve can now lead a normal life with a few limitations. DBS isn't perfect but it beats the hell out of long term nursing care when you are 53 years old. Paul Fahr ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn