Dear Ron,
I am 46 years old, and my PD symptoms sound exactly like yours. I,
too, have trouble on my right side. I also have trouble putting on my socks
and shoes, trimming my nails, using toilet paper, etc. I do not doubt my
diagnosis. Since I started taking Requip, I am better able to do the things
that I want to do. It has especially helped me with the muscle pain and
stiffness. I am better able to put on my socks and shoes, use toilet paper,
etc. I go to a PD specialist, and he says that PD that begins as tremor has
a much better prognosis than PD that begins as one falling. But as you
probably know, PD is a designer disease -- it affects each of us
differently. Good luck with the next 5 years. You can probably slip
y. --Katie from El Campo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron McKay" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 10:14 PM
Subject: I Don't Know If I Should Be Here
> About a year ago numerous family friends told me they were seeing me shake
a lot, and suggested that I tell my Doctor. Up until then I believe I only
shook when I got nervous, or stressed, and would try hard to cover it with
more intense concentration. The doctor told me I had ratcheting in my
joints, and with the tremors, he believed I had PD. I have since caught
myself in the tremors, a few times, but have gone through a relatively
normal year since his diagnosis. I have studied the symptoms, and can
remember bouts of the symptoms over the past twenty years. This month, I
have noticed that the strength in my right arm is going, and it often pains
to lift it above my belt line. The pain shows up in my hand, arm, shoulder,
and neck on the right side. I also have pain in my lower back, and can not
bend over to pick anything up, and find it harder and harder to put my shoes
and socks on, or cut my toe nails, or even use toilet paper. I am now 61,
and my head still wants to declare it old age. The day after the doctor
diagnosed the PD my wife asked me to sign a release that would allow her and
the children to put me in a nursing home, if they found they did not want to
deal with it. I have therefore told them I am doing fine, and do not talk
to them about it. I have told the doctor that I do not want any medication,
or other treatment, until I feel so debilitated that I would feel I would
need them. My question is, "Are there others that have been diagnosed with
PD, who doubt that they really have it, and are able to go for years,
without it getting in the way of them doing their daily chores?" I work
full time as an administrator, and few people around me know of the
diagnosis. It is my goal to slip through the next five years to retirement,
without the PD making any difference.
>
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