Dear Helen, I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. I went to my family dr in May of 1992. He immediately sent me to a local neurologist. I was so scared that I had a brain tumor because my doctor was very adamant about me doing this as soon as possible. The things that were happening to me were : not swinging my right arm, walking like I had a ball and chain around my ankle, slow eating, slow getting my jobs done (owned a 200 seat restaurant til 97. I did the Accts Pyble, the payroll, the correspondence, the filing, three loads of towels a day, worked the front line at the grill over the busiest hours, and helped in any dept they needed me.....dishes, getting drinks or waiting on counter. We made our own icecream & on hot, summer days they were lined up out the door). (I miss my work and the people there). The other problem was my handwriting. I wrote on the blackboard by holding my right wrist with my left hand - the a.m. and p.m. daily specials were changed at 4 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.. I had alot of tests done by the neurologist - all of which confirmed my PD - not a tumor. Knowing only two elderly people at the time who had P.D., I was really scared. One was my husband's uncle who the family fed alone and I never met him. The other was a kind person who had to rest alot. I didn't know half of what I know now. I was sent to Phila. to the Movement Disorder dept. because they had alot more contact with researchers and I was his youngest patient at the time. I decided to have the DBS because the dystonia in my right foot was so bad (actually turned in when I'm OFF) and it was getting very painful - my back - the dyskenesias. I felt embarrassed at public functions. I would make jokes like: "I need some Velcro for my butt". But I hurt inside emotionally. My new neurologist kept trying to talk me into a pallidotomy, but I was afraid that it would only be done on one side and it was permanent. Now he admits that I was right. Anyhow, my husband took me to Las Vegas the week before to keep my mind busy. I love "Blackjack" and "Caveman Keno". Then my mother died of breast cancer. We buried her on Saturday and I had to get to Phila on Sunday for surgery Mon am. They took me to surgery, said good morning, and I remember nothing except the pain i n my legs (edema). They kept my family posted. I got to the recovery room by 9 PM. They had shaved my head and left a tiny little tail on the back at the bottom. Then somebody took my hair & put it into a baggie in my dresser drawer. They said I recited the whole pledge of allegiance. I can vaguely remember going for an MRI. It was easy because I was out of it - no claustrophobia this time. I have to go eat supper. To be continued. Paula ----- Original Message ----- From: "Helen Coleman" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 11:40 AM Subject: Re: Questions about doctors and study participation > Dear Paula - > I'd appreciate learning more about how you progressed since you first > realized that you had a problem that turned out to be Parkinson''s. What > problems were you having that helped you to make the decision to have the > DBS. If you can, please describe pre and post of the operation as well as > the surgery itself. (Did you have to have your head shaved?) > Would you do it all over again now that you know what you went > through and have the results been what you had expected. > I would appreciate the same information from anyone else out there who > has had the surgery. I'm trying to determine if it is something I should > do. > [log in to unmask] > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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