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Thanks to all of you who replied to my recent email to the list. I'm still trying to come to terms with my diagnosis, and was only diagnosed last week, so I have many questions on what my future holds. I'm 52 years old, and am in terrible health--I'm diabetic, have had 3 heart attacks, have severe osteoporosis, and now PD; I guess I'm expecting to die suddenly any minute now. I still have to try to work, since I've been told I don't qualify for disability until I'm unable to work for 12 months. I'm a cashier at a grocery chain, and the tremors and difficulty walking are definitely interfering with my work. I live alone in the country--driving is difficult now--I have problems getting into and out of the car, and if I drive for a good while, I get dizzy and disoriented. My family is not nearby, and it's difficult for any of them to understand my limitations and my fears. I do, however, live just a few minutes from Duke University Medical Center, and from University of North Carolina Hospitals, so I have a good referral network close by. I want to learn more about what to expect, and will be following the posts on the list to get some suggestions about how to manage better. I will probably buy a cane to use for walking--with my severe osteoporosis, I worry about breaking bones when I fall. I will try to discuss my concerns with my neurologist--though he has a very hectic practice and is always quite rushed. Thanks for the links for more information. I will definitely check them out. Maggie Mauney > From: Larry Wilson <[log in to unmask]> > Reply-To: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Sat, 5 Oct 2002 11:27:11 -0400 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: New to PD > > Maggie you did not say how old you are. I am not an expert on PD but I do > know that PD patients should get exercise daily (as someone on the list > serve said, "exercise, exercise, exercise". Is there someone at the house > with you? If not then you need to make special friends that can call you > daily. Your friends will probably enjoy doing this and it helps keep in > contact with the outside world- develop a plan. Pd has "different strokes" > with "different folks". So there is no one pattern. There are effects that > are progressive which you can study up on. And it is important to study the > different effects PD has on patients. Become intelligent about PD and it's > possible effects on you and be able to intelligently discuss this with your > Doctor. There are several "look alike diseases" that appear to be PD but > are not...but are related. My mother, my brother, my aunt, and my > grandmother (although they say it may not hereditary) all had different > symptoms of PD. Mother and grandmother and aunt all functioned normally > (just did a lot of shaking). They died of other causes at ages 80, 63, and > 78. My brother is disabled with PD. > > Some places to go for more information are (Just click on they): ( I may > have not given you all the good sites but these are some) > > http://www.parkinson.org/ > http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/parkinson_disease_htr.htm#e > arly_symptoms > http://www.geocities.com/pdcaregiver/ParkinsonsPages.html > http://www.parkinson.org/docgetmap.htm > http://www.geocities.com/murraycharters/ > http://persoweb.francenet.fr/~mondor/updrs.htm > http://rewiredforlife.healthology.com/focus_index.asp?f=parkinsons_disease > > You did not say whether you are near a large city, small city, etc, but it > is important to have a PD Doctor that recognizes the different stages of PD > and stays "on task" with you and is able to properly diagnose with PD meds. > From what I understand on this List Serve there are many PD patients that > function normally and live a happy life. Some of these will be getting in > touch with you. Have a happy day! > > Larry Wilson > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Maggie Mauney" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 9:57 AM > Subject: New to PD > > >> Hello all, >> >> I've just been diagnosed with PD last week, and I have some questions > about >> what to expect. >> >> I developed a tremor in my left hand about 6 months ago; also, my balance >> has been off for several years, and within the last few months I've begun > to >> have problems with stumbling when I walk, falling (or almost falling) > often. >> Are all these symptoms of PD? Also, what about pain? I've had severe > pain >> in my left forearm (the same side with the tremor), and it feels like > muscle >> sprain--but just won't get better. OFten, when I'm resting and not using > my >> arm, the throbbing is terrible--and lifting heavy items is very painful. >> I've also been choking more lately. Are these PD problems? If so, any >> predictions on what I can expect my future to bring--predictions on the >> progression of the PD? >> >> I've just started taking Mirapex, and am on a low dosage now. I've not >> noticed any change on the Mirapex--no side effects either. Any of you >> familiar with MIrapex? >> >> I live alone way out in the country, and to be honest I'm afraid now of >> falling at home sometime and not being able to get up. Now it's almost >> impossible to get up when I'm sitting in a chair, unless I have some way > to >> pull myself up. And I fear choking on food when I'm alone. Any >> suggestions? Or am I worrying too much? >> >> Any input on what I can expect would be appreciated. >> >> Maggie Mauney >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> 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