Hi Helen, sorry I didn't respond to you sooner.  Many reasons and a few excuses
too.  I hope that you get to read this before you leave on your trip east.  We just
returned home from St. Johns Hospital in Oxnard [we live in Victorville] where my
wife had her first DBS done yesterday and we are thrilled with the results at this
point.  Her dyskenesia and tremor have almost gone away already and she will not
get her implanted generator until Friday.  They told us that this is not unusual.
   That is the main reason for not answering you sooner as there has been a lot of
traveling for evaluation etc for us.  I will try to answer your questions but remember
that I am not a doctor.  Let me start by saying that we did a lot of research before
we made a commitment.  We were very lucky to have found the medical team at St.
John's Hospital.  The team is "California Neuroscience Institute"    You can go to
http://www.stjohnshealth.org/index.asp?catID=ps&pg=ps_parkinson
and read all about them.  Can't say enough good things about this medical team.  But
to answer your questions ... The evaluation is done in two directions.  The healthier
you are and the longer that you were able to control this nasty disease with
medications [and that they no longer give good results] the higher your score, so to
speak.  You are interviewed by their team of experts.
     No, pain has never been a factor and amazingly she has no pain today.  Her attitude also has been super.  She always was a bubbly type person which is another reason that it hurt to watch her slide downhill the past several years.  We too have been married for 52 years, so our histories are similar.  I envy you because you live in the two best worlds at the same time.  We love LaJolla even if someone there thought my wife was my daughter but we also liked Georgia when we were there.  Hope that this answers some of your questions.
  Thank you for your prayers, they were answered and have a good trip.

Ron Heimback