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Thank you, Larry ----- Original Message ----- From: "patandpaula" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, May 17, 2002 7:37 PM Subject: Re: Parkinson Symptoms......treatment > debra, i second that nomination paula > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Debra Sutton" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Friday, May 17, 2002 2:49 PM > Subject: Re: Parkinson Symptoms......treatment > > > > Larry, > > Does your brother see a Movement Disorder Specialist? That would be the > > only thing I know to suggest. > > I would like to say that my hat is off to you for your concern, love and > > advocacy for your brother. If there were a "Brother of the Year Award" I > > would nominate you. God Bless you for being "your brother's keeper"! > > Debra > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Larry Wilson" <[log in to unmask]> > > To: <[log in to unmask]> > > Sent: Friday, May 17, 2002 12:39 AM > > Subject: Parkinson Symptoms......treatment > > > > > > > Note: If you have answers to this message send your message to > > > [log in to unmask] I am having trouble receiving from the > ListServe. > > > > > > PD is very frustrating......and I appear to be the one frustrated. I > have > > > learned a lot from you but I need some more help. I understand better > now > > > about PD + and the "look alike" diseases. Thanks. > > > > > > My brother is in the 8th year (or more) of PD. He is 68 years old. He > > has > > > all the classic symptoms of PD (see below). His symptoms have > progressed > > to > > > a state where he needs total care. PD Dr. just increased his 100/25 > > Senemet > > > to two pills every 4 hours beginning 7:00 am ending 7:00 PM. He also > > takes > > > Parolodol 3 times a day. > > > > > > My question is this: With the symptoms below that my brother is > > exhibiting > > > is it practical to think that his quality of life can be improved? Can > > his > > > speech be improved with medication? Can his swallowing be improved with > > > medication? Can his walking? Is it practical to believe that > medication > > > can make a difference in his quality of life? Does anyone out there > know > > of > > > any experience similar to my brother's and was there any improvement in > > the > > > quality of life? > > > > > > Thank you for your candid remarks. My brother and I have had some very > > > amusing times...we have had quiet a few laughs...sometimes I cried I > > laughed > > > so hard. I did not "baby" him when I was there...but I was careful to > > > understand his limitations. We often walked together and I wheeled him > > > outside to enjoy the open air. I took him to church in the nursing home > > and > > > he followed the words in the hymn book (from what I surmised). We had > > some > > > great times. > > > > > > Larry > > > > > > Symptoms are characterized below: > > > > > > Brother is in Texas with PD in nursing home. > > > I am in Georgia. I have been to Dallas twice within the last 2-3 months > > for > > > about 7 or 9 days each time. > > > > > > A. He is aware of what we are saying and understands. He cried when my > > > sister and I went out to see him recently...when we walked up to him. > He > > > understands enough to shake his head "no" or "yes" (yes is hard for him > to > > > do). He responded to the PD DR and gave the right responses to his > > > questions...or did the correct things. > > > > > > B. He uses his arms and hands and easily catches a ball and throws it > > back. > > > Two years ago you could assist him outside, give him a ball and glove, > > hold > > > him until he began pitching with someone, let him go and he would stand > by > > > himself, throw and catch the ball and throw the ball back harder than > you > > > could. Quick pitching and he would fall down. > > > > > > 1. Brother began PD symptoms some 8 years ago. When he came to Georgia > > on > > > business I noticed he walked funny. I tried to get him to take long > > > strides....but he told me he had "gout". He was shuffling (now that I > can > > > look back). > > > > > > 2. His voice gradually began to get quieter....until almost a whisper. > 5 > > > years ago he was officially diagnosed with PD. He had fallen for the > > final > > > time before he agreed to go to the DR. Three years ago he had a stroke > > but > > > did not do anything to his legs nor his arms nor his face permanently. > I > > > question whether he had a stroke but his wife says he had a MRI to > confirm > > > that. Gradually within the 3 years he quietly lost his voice. When I > > > called over the telephone from GA I could hear a whisper at times until > > > recently (last 6 months) I could hear nothing. Six-8 months ago he said > > > very loudly "Twister, my dog!" (meaning to leave his dog alone when his > > son > > > was teasing the dog). When the PD doctor saw him recently he ask him to > > > speak his name. John could only "lip" the words, but you could tell > what > > > was being attempted. > > > > > > 3. Four years ago he began having bowel/bladder accidents. Putting him > > on > > > the "stool" helped if the right time was selected. Now he is totally > > > "incontinent". > > > > > > 4. Four years ago when he came to GA he could not hold a glass in his > > right > > > hand without spilling the drink from shaking. We would put it in his > left > > > hand and it would be better. (The shaking was not as severe). When he > > was > > > put on PD medication his shaking reduced considerable until he could eat > > ok > > > and drink ok. > > > > > > 5. We tried to get him to use the typewriter to "speak" but he could > not > > > hit the keys properly. We tried to get him to write but he would start > > > normally but trail off into very tiny script that one could not read. > > > > > > 6. I cannot get him to use his wheel chair properly because he > "forgets" > > > how to wheel it. He cannot use a walker...he falls over it. > > > > > > 7. He walks only with assistance now....this has been going on since > > about > > > 3-4 years ago. He freezes when he walks with assistance. I noticed > when > > he > > > goes through the door or gets in close places he stops....freezes and > > cannot > > > go without prompting and assisting him. > > > > > > 8. He drools now...has been doing this for a year or two. > > > > > > 9. His mouth forms an "O" when he is having bad days. On good > days...or > > > good hours he holds his mouth normally- I thought he had good times when > > he > > > was "ON" with his medication and bad times when he was "OFF". > > > > > > 10. When he is eating he would stuff his mouth and would not (could > not) > > > swallow. Finally he got aspirated and got pneumonia and had to go to > the > > > emergency room.....they did a barium swallow on him and found he was > > > swallowing into his lungs - this was 3 months ago. > > > > > > 11. They put a feeding tube into his stomach....they use a syringe type > > > feeding method. > > > > > > 12. When he feels bad or is hurting or is emotional he make a loud yell > > or > > > noise. > > > > > > 13. He appears to have some type of dementia. However, when he went to > > the > > > PD DR he understood all his commands and almost stood up by himself. He > > is > > > quiet playful....don't know if this is dementia or just himself. > > > > > > 14. He does not dress himself. He did feed himself before the feeding > > > tube. > > > > > > 15. He has lost considerable weight - did weigh 175 lbs but lost over > 3 > > > year period down to 117. He is 6 feet 3 inches. (This is probably > because > > > he did not swallow enough nourishment.) > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > 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