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Dear Friends, Many thanks to those who took the time to reply to my inquiry about fetal transplants. Sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you, but I had a family emergency. After reading your postings and talking to those who've had either transplant surgery or pallidotomies, I realize that both procedures get mixed reviews. Some people have an amelioration of some symptoms and a worsening of others. Some have traded one set of symptoms for another. Still others have improved in their ability to move while sacrificing speech clarity. I appreciate your taking the time to reply so candidly. Your responses made me realize that surgery is indeed a last resort and shouldn't be undertaken lightly. In evaluating my own situation, I've concluded that I'm not there yet and there are still other options for me. Although I'm taking more sinemet than I'd like (10 CR's a day plus 1 10/100), the medication is still working - provided I don't eat. Ay, there's the rub! Yesterday I attended an informational meeting on the subject of nutrition and sinemet, and a very earnest young dietitian told us she'd interviewed several neurologists in preparation for her meeting, and they told her we should eat a well-balanced and nutritious diet, including protein, at every meal - and let the chips fall where they may. I didn't want to embarrass her, but I was tempted to ask if either she or the neurologists had ever been driving down a busy highway and were suddenly unable to turn the wheel of the car, or were ever at the shopping mall when they froze and wondered how they'd ever get home, or had picked up a little baby and felt so weak they thought they'd drop it, or any of the other intolerable situations we find ourselves in daily. I didn't ask because I knew what the answer would be: stop doing those things. Well, I'm not ready to give in yet, because I know there are other options out there. One that interests me is the transdermal patch that has been written about on the listserv. I read about it casually at the time, but would like more information now. I know the research is being done at Virginia Commonwealth University, but I don't know where that is or who to contact there. Does anyone know if there's still room for more in their program or what is involved in the way of visits and check-ups? Has anyone participated, or know someone who has? I'd appreciate any information you all might have. pine`