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Parkinson's Patient Back On Par (DBS) By BILL LAYE, CALGARY SUN - Fri, May 14, 2004 For Parkinson's patient Mike Reitsma, every golf game now is a gift from God -- and some pretty impressive medical magic. "I can't walk (18 holes), but I can walk nine -- I couldn't do that last fall," said Reitsma, 60, who recently underwent three operations to treat the disease. Parkinson's is an as-yet incurable disease which attacks the brain's ability to communicate with other parts of the body. Before the surgery in January, the Calgarian, whose four children include Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Reitsma, told his story to the Sun. Since the surgery, which involved two operations to put electrodes deep into the centre of his brain and one to connect the two to a sort of regulating pacemaker, he says he's got his life -- and his game -- back. "It's almost as if I'd been born again, physically speaking," the retired pastor said yesterday while being checked out at the University of Calgary's medical facility. His doctor is also most impressed. "He looks great," said University of Calgary neurosurgeon and researcher Zelma Kiss. "At this point, he's off of his Parkinson's medications, so he's doing very well." While she's quick to point out electrode stimulation therapy like this is being done on many centres these days, and it's definitely not a cure, U of C researchers continue to make strides. "It really has revolutionized the treatment of Parkinson's disease because 10 years ago we didn't have a good treatment," Kiss said. SOURCE: Calgary Sun, Canada - Fri, May 14, 2004 http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/CalgarySun/News/2004/05/14/459140.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn