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> > > > > Hi, my name is William Davis and I am care giver to my wife Barbara. > > She has had Parkinson's for 10 years. With the usual progression of the > > disease. > > And the loss of effectiveness of the medications. > > She is being treated at Boston University Medical Center by Dr. Marie > > Sainte Hillaire > > at first and now Dr Samuel Ellias. > > About a year and a half ago the medicines stopped working. With the > > freezing and ridgity > > and diskinesia from the Sinemet. > > She was evaluated for DBS/STN at that time and went through the > evaluation. > > The first problem was they weren't sure about DBS and Clozaril the > > antipsychotic which she was on because of a psychotic break. Probably to > > much Sinemet and Amantadine. Hospitalized for 2 months. 2 weeks in > hospital > > and 6 weeks in nursing home. A very rough time for all. > > She was turned down at that time for DBS. They said they thought she > might > > be eligible > > at a later time. > > A short time afterwards she was offered a Pallidotomy. Which she had. We > > all had great hopes. The right side diskinesia had become violent. The > > pallidotomy cured the diskinesia. > > But unfortunately her walking got worse. It still up in the air whether it > > was worth it. > > A few months later they started talking about a DBS again. The doctors > said > > they because > > of their knowledge of her on the operating table and her recovery after > the > > pallidotomy they felt she could handle the DBS. > > Boston University medical has just set up a program to compare people who > > have had previous surgery's to those who haven't. There is no previously > > published data comparing the two of them together. > > At BU Medical the neurosurgeon, Jules Nazzaro feels strongly that it is > > best to do the procedures separately. 4 separate as opposed to 2 and 2 and > > definitely against all 4 at once. > > So after the evaluation again which she passed with flying colors. She had > > the 1 operation on August the 6th which went very well. She is going to > > have the second operation on Monday the 11th. The stimulator implantation. > > We have a friend who had the DBS a few weeks before and has had very good > > results. She had some improvement just from having the operation before > the > > stimulators were turned on. > > The day after Barbara came home there was some observable improvement. > > Walking was better and left side diskinesia was less and dystonia was > less. > > But alas walking returned to old pattern. Diskinesia and dystonia still > seem > > to be less.One interesting comment Barbara > > made when walking was better was that she felt that "My brain is doing > this, > > not me " > > So we live in hope that she will have one of the miracle results and be > > happy with good > > improvement. > > > > With prayers for all Parkinson's patients and their caregivers and family > > and friends > > > > William Davis > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> > > Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for Your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark > > Printer at Myinks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. > http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 > > http://us.click.yahoo.com/l.m7sD/LIdGAA/qnsNAA/aGdxlB/TM > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > [log in to unmask] > > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn