Dear friends,
First, let me thank all the people who wrote about PDdementia, and
offered solace, and advice. I had been after my mother to take some
vitamins (especially since her eye doctor recommened Occuvite for her
macula degeneration--not to cure it but to maybe help slow it!) but she
said the vitamins made her back ache. Anyway, I showed her the various
postings about B-vitamins, went to my friendly neighborhood CVS store, and
lo and behold, Occuvite comes in an "enhanced" formula with (you guessed
it) B vitamins. I convinced her to try them, and now we'll see. My father
says he'll make sure she takes them one way or another!
I figure it can't hurt, might help. And anything that will help
is just fine.
My parents last year were trying to convince me to move home
(quit my job!!!) to take care of mother. We had some interesting
argumenets, and since I am getting married now, and possibly mocving
hundreds of miles away, they have to learn to cope with all this on their
own.
They are in their early 70's, my Dad is very vary active, hunts, fishes,
and does stuff, my mom parks in front of the TV and sits. She had been
nursing supervisor, but the Parkinsons and deteriorating eyesight forced
her retirement. She does take a walk every day (2 miles) but has to be
careful because of balance. She also complains a lot about back pain which
the doctors don't seem to be able to help. She finds if she lies down and
stretches out as much as she can. keeping her head flat, it helps. He
posrure is bad, and she hunches in her chair so she can get her reading
material to where she can see it. Magnifiers do not seem to help.
Ah, I have digressed, but this list is a godsend and gold mine of
information.
Anyway, several years ago, I developed a slight hand tremor which
was exacerbated by tiredness, stress, exertion, and was accompanied by
loss of balance, etc. I immediately thought of Parkinsons and went to a
neurologist, who checked it out and diagnosed essential tremor. The first
thing he did was to decaffienate me (eight weeks of unmitigated hell,
because I was drinking nearly a gallon of iced tea a day!) which really
made a big difference. I also got a track ball for my computer and I blame
all my spelling mistakes on the tremor!
There isn't much that can be some for it, I guess, but watching my
caffiene and sugare intake has reduced the severity of the symptoms. I can
aleays tell I am overtired, though, the tremor is then quite noticable!
Thanks again for all the advice
S.J.
************************************************
* ______ *
* / \ *
* | --88-- | S.J. Wolfe --**-- Per-Seshen *
* | ____ | American Antiquarian Society *
* | |_//_| | [log in to unmask] *
* | | *
* | /\/\/\ | A brain the size of a planet, *
* __\______/__ and here I am ... *
* *
************************************************
