Hi Kathi. Sorry to hear about your situation. Did the doctor explain his/her objections to Pallidotomy? Which reasons di he/she cite? I would be interestd to know, if you wouldn't mind sharing. Joanna On Sat, 25 Mar 1995 [log in to unmask] wrote: > Jill Drohan, > > I read your letter on PARKINSN network and am also in a similiar situtation. > My father, who is 69 years old, lives in Detroit, was diagnosed with PD 8 > years ago. His mobility, ability to read, and take care of himself have > significantly worsened in the past 4 months. I have tried, along with a > brother and sister, for the past 10 months, to convince my father to go to > the Barrows Institute in Phoenix (my sister lives in Flagstaff) for a 2nd > opinion and to find out if he is a candidate for pallidotomy. Unfortunately, > his neurologist has convinced both my father and step-mother that what we are > suggesting is tatamount to a "frontal labotomy". > > Instead the neurologist has sugggested that my father adjust to the nursing > home he was admitted into in January. I'm sure that you wouldn't be > surprised that my father's mental capcities have decreased since then and I am > concerned that he may also be suffering from depression. We have been able > to collect encouraging information on pallidotomy and other PD medications > from medical libraries, Am. Park. Assoc. and this network. Unfortunately, > the neurologist is discouraging the possibillity of all of our suggestions. > > The only med. quals. I have read about for pallidotomy are 1) if the PD drugs > are no longer effective and 2) patient does not have major brain damage > ("Wall Street Journal" 2-22-95) > > At this point we can't wean my father away from his physician for a 2nd opinio > n. (A physician that convinces a patient not to get a 2nd opinion or an > Independent Medical Exam is reason enough in my book to switch physicians.) > As a result, if you are able to gather more specific information on "who" > is a candidate for pallidotomy I would appreciate it if you could send it to > me. I will do the same. Best of luck to all of you and thanks for your > help!!! > > Kathi Mitchell >