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BTW, I, too, am interested in any info to help with PD dementia. David takes Aricept, but I'm not sure that it works all that well. Bev ---- Claire Heffernan <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi to all, > > My name is Claire and I am new to the list. I am caregiver for my > husband, Tom. Regarding the question about chemicals and their > connection to PD, it is becoming quite clear. Recent headline > articles (LA Times, etc) have reinforced that. > > Tom was diagnosed at age 45, he is now 61. He and his doctors > attribute his PD most likely to his stint with the US Army Chemical > Corps at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver during the Vietnam War > years. He was exposed to various nerve agents, among others. He has > always felt fortunate not to have been sent to Vietnam, but now is > paying another price. He is also a farmer, so had exposure to > pesticides as well. Who knows, but the fact is, he has it and we are > dealing with the present. > > He has had DBS surgery which successfully dealt with many of the > physical problems. > He never had a tremor, but the slowness of movement, etc made life > difficult. Our challenge is in the cognitive area. His > hallucinations, paranoia and general confusion are taking over. We > have been able to reduce his meds by 75% and are hoping that will > help. > > I am looking forward to being on the list again. I have taken a leave > from teaching so will have more time to read the volumes of emails. I > am also looking for any input in dealing with the dementia. We live > in rural Northern California and I have not found a support group yet. > > Happy New Year > > > On 1/2/06, Nigel Harland <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Hi Beverlly, > > Welcome to the List. I used to work in the microbiology department of a > > large soft drinks manufacturer, part of the daily routine involved > > sterilising the equipment by spraying it with methanol and then igniting it, > > which resulted in breathing in the fumes. I must have done this job for > > about one hour per day, every other week, for ten years > > I was diagnosed with PD in 1989, aged 35, can't say for sure that Methanol > > caused it, but I often wonder......... > > > > Best Wishes > > > > Nigel Harland . > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Beverly Bashe" <[log in to unmask]> > > To: <[log in to unmask]> > > Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 3:49 AM > > Subject: Intro > > > > > > > Hi, all. My name is Beverly Bashe, and I'm new to the list. I do not > > > have Parkinson's Disease, but my husband, David, does. > > > > > > David has been ill at least 38 years...and we've been married for 40 > > > years. He was not diagnosed until about 10 years ago, but has been on > > > leva dopa for about 33 years. At this time, he's on Stalevo and Permax. > > > > > > Three years ago, David had brain stimulator surgery at New York > > > Presbyterian Hospital after his ability to balance himself went down to > > > near zero. Michael Kapplitt was his surgeon. Michael has been a special > > > and treasured person in our lives. He's a fantastic surgeon, brilliant > > > and passionate about his work, and is a compassionate physician and human > > > being. In retrospect, I think that he worked with a neurologist in > > > Toronto, perfecting the brain stimulator surgery before moving to NY. > > > > > > Although the surgery was successful, the disease continues its inexorable > > > downward slide. David's mental profile prior to the surgery sent up some > > > red flags as to the appropriateness of the operation, but, frankly, he had > > > nowhere to go. Michael and I discussed the situation a couple of weeks > > > prior to the operation. He stated that he didn't want to hurt David, but > > > if he didn't have it, he'd be spending the rest of his life strapped in > > > chairs. Yet...I'm not sure that the operation did him a favor: he was > > > definitely damaged by the surgery, having lots of residual problems. His > > > balance was restored, but that, too, is getting worse again due to the > > > progression of the disease. > > > > > > David's neurologist, David Eidelberg, is in Manhasset, NY, and runs the > > > Movement Disorders Clinic at North Shore Hospital. He works pretty > > > closely with Michael Kaplitt, and was instrumental in David's recovery > > > post surgery. Dr. Eidelberg believes that David has early-onset > > > Parkinsons, brought on by the environmental toxins in the gas station he > > > owned with his brother, Jerry. Jerry, btw, developed symptoms about 11 > > > years ago, and died within 5 years. No one in this long-lived family has > > > ever shown symptoms of movement disorders before David and Jerry. Now, > > > however, a cousin has also been diagnosed, but he was a chemist, handling > > > and breathing chemicals for 40 years. Hmmmmmm. > > > > > > We're looking for a new neurologist who might be located in Florida. We > > > just moved from Long Island, NY, to Delray Beach, Florida. Dr. Eidelberg > > > has recommended a colleague of his by the name of Carlos Singer at the > > > University of Miami, but we haven't gotten in touch with him, yet. Does > > > anyone know of him? Is there anyone else whom some of you might > > > recommend, someone who's really involved exclusively with Parkinsons? > > > > > > Both David and I are looking forward to corresponding with this group. I > > > do most of the communicating, because David doesn't have the coordination > > > to type or use a mouse. However, he is directly involved with what I > > > write. We'd both like to know if anyone on this list has developed > > > Parkinsons Disease after working with or having been in an atmosphere of > > > chemicals. > > > > > > It will be a pleasure getting to know you. > > > > > > Bev Bashe > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn