Dear Connie, The drugs will help you out lots. I also have a massage two times a month and the helps with the very stiff muscles. Treat yourself to one, if you do not like it look for another for I know that it helps me out. I am also affected on my right side. I was DX in 1997 and will be 55 in August. I did run but have not as of late for I look after my 6 month old grandson 4 days a week, he keeps me busy and next week I start to look after another on that is only 6 weeks old. If you can also look for a yoga class that will help you out too. welcome to the list lots of great people here. Janice ----- Original Message ----- From: Connie De Wolfe <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2002 4:56 PM Subject: New Member > Hi, > > I'm new to this list. I found out about the list through reading the book > When Parkinson's Strikes Early. I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, > Canada. I'm 43, single, and have no kids, no cats, and no dogs. I belong > the "Book of the Day Club" as I am a voracious reader. I'm also a member > of Mensa. > > I'm in the middle of diagnosis right now, pending the results of the CT > scan - but it is almost a given that it is Parkinson's. After the CT scan > I will be going back to the neurologist, and hopefully begin some sort of > drug therapy. I definitely have three of the four cardinal signs and > symptoms: bradykinesia, cogwheel rigidity, and a resting tremor - all > right sided for now. I also have a number of other secondary stuff > occurring, like my voice deciding to go hoarse in the middle of a speech > (which is not "fun" considering that I'm a leader in two different > Toastmasters clubs). My emotional state is that of being "stunned." > > The biggest struggles I'm having these days are with the lack of manual > dexterity and with stiffness. I struggle daily to count change when going > through the checkout stand and my longhand writing is becoming miniscule. > I feel like an old granny trying to get out of my chair at work or getting > out of bed - stooped over and shuffling along until I get going. > > One of my biggest worries is wondering if this will proceed as quickly as > it did for one of my uncles - he also had Young Onset Parkinson's; his > tremor was very noticeable by the time he was in his late 40s and he was > in a nursing home by the time he was in his early 60s. Of course that was > 20+ years ago, and I'm sure he would have done much better with the type > of medication and surgical treatment that is now available. > > I hope to learn more about coping with this disease, and to give some > support to others. > > Talk to you all later... > > Connie > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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