 |
 |
Friends and Fellow Parkies - I had 2 of these brain surgeries in 2003 - the 2nd one was a redo of the 1st. Check for local times: in AZ and CA it is aired at 9:00 PM on ABC Parkinson's Patient: 'I Was Free' Awake Brain Surgery Can Eliminate Parkinson's Tremors By ALI SARGENT June 25, 2008 Mary Kane won't let Parkinson's disease stand in her way. "I move hay. I move 50 pound bags of feed. I fix fences," she said. "I chainsaw down trees!" Dr. Frederick Lenz marks the spot on Mary Kane's head where he will drill a hole and implant a wire... Dr. Frederick Lenz marks the spot on Mary Kane's head where he will drill a hole and implant a wire in her brain. Kane was awake for the entire procedure so that doctors could monitor her brain function and determine the best placement for the wire. The wire extends to a regulating device embedded under the skin on her chest. This system, sometimes compared to a pacemaker, sends electricity to a targeted area of the brain. These electrical pulses can help curb Parkinson's symptoms. (ABC News) So when her symptoms become resistant to the medication she has been taking for 16 years, she went to Johns Hopkins Hospital to have her brain surgically re-wired. Watch the series premiere of "Hopkins" Thursday, June 26, at 10 p.m. ET. CLICK HERE for behind the scenes videos, doctor profiles and patient updates. Parkinson's is a degenerative neurological disease. Some of the symptoms, which vary from patient to patient, are caused by a deficiency of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that delivers messages from brain cells that regulate many body functions. When there is not enough, patients experience involuntary movement. Tremors, slowness of movement, and rigidity are all common symptoms of the disease, which is why Parkinson's is classified as a movement disorder. Rayilyn Brown Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn