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Attn: Porter Humphrey My husband Nelson is 74 and was diagnosed with PD six years ago. He went through several changes in medication over the years, adding some, dropping some, and is currently using Sinemet, Sinemet CR, Klonopin l hr. before dinner, Valium before lunch and at bedtime, and Vitamin C. He uses a morphine patch as well as liquid morphine as needed. He is virtually paralyzed by his rigidity, forms his speech with great difficulty and his voice is too soft to hear. He can no longer walk or do such things as feed himself, brush his teeth, etc. He has difficulty swallowing and is unable to eat certain foods. The disease has been marked by frequent and drastic blood pressure drops (as low as 53 over 35). He has never had tremors. In April '95 he was evaluated by Dr. Abraham Lieberman for a pallidotomy and was rejected as the doctor said they simply didn't know if it would benefit him. Also at that time, the doctor re-diagnosed his disease as Multi-System Atrophy, a Parkinson's Plus category. The fetal tissue transplant was also rejected as having unknown benefit and his age is also against him in this. We have found nothing in the way of medications to give further help. We continue to assist him in bed exercises and try to get him up to "dangle" his legs once a day. The most we have been able to do is try to make him as comfortable as possible. A tiny microphone clipped to the neck of his gown has helped a great deal in our communication. I can hold the amplifier near my ear and can understand most of Nelson's conversations. He seems to have some benefit from the medications but his routine has not been typical of other PD patients. He is under Hospice care and the assistance they have given cannot be measured -- they have been wonderful We wish both you and Johanna the best as you and many of us travel this uncertain path. Best regards, Barbara Quackenbush