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Nancy's surgery appears to have been a technical success. It took 8 hours but the surgeon is confident that her back is now straight and will remain so. Thanks to several of you I was armed to the teeth with contraindicated drugs, personal stories of hospital experiences and even one person who had minor surgery while in the Mirapex pre-release studies. It was very comforting to have so much valuable information. Through prior agreement Nancy was able to take her PD meds write up until surgery began and the surgeon and I together with the staff in the recovery room crushed and delivered all her PD meds (mirapex, sinemet, amantadine, and effexor) through a feeding tube as soon as Nancy was awake. For two and one half hours her body was full of tremor and rigidity (the worst I have seen since her pallidotomies in 1995). This was causing painful cramping in her legs and feet. After a second dose of sinemet 10/100 and some TLC message, we got the PD symptoms reigned in and were able to focus on the back surgery and the related pain which was being treated with morphine. The juggling act between sinemet and morphine was a real kick to watch. Add morphine get less pain but more tremor. Stop morphine and stop tremor but increase pain. Somehow it all worked out. When I left the hospital 12:30am today and about 16 hours since surgery began she was stable, drinking, eating and sleeping (not all at the same time). I have no doubt that my presence in the recovery room together with the surgeons willingness to let me administer the PD drugs as deemed necessary made a great difference in how quickly we got Nancy stablized. She continues to be in the care of the family when it comes to her PD meds, and in the care of the nurses for the other meds. So far it is all working out great. Can't wait to see her in the morning. I have been warned that the back pain from the surgery will peak today or Friday so we are not out of the woods yet but today was a very uplifting day for everybody associated with the surgery. It will be weeks before we know whether the real objective was accomplished: the reduction/elimination of severe back and hip pain caused by the advancing PD and scoliosis. Thanks again to all who responded to my call for help. -- [log in to unmask] Kingwood, TX