 |
 |
I can understand your concern, as your father has many signs that *something* is wrong. I wonder if he is depressed after the loss of your mother, and feels no purpose in living? You should know that there is something called "essential tremor", which is not PD, and runs in families. The tremor in PD is a *resting tremor*, which is supposed to stop when the person takes action, and is worse at rest...that sounds like what you said he has, but you also said it gets worse when he reaches-- Of course YOU know that he should see a movement disorder specialist to find out what is going on. His refusal and denial are very hard to overcome, and you have obviously tried many approaches. He must be very angry at "doctors" for misdiagnosing and not helping his wife, and that would add to the depression and hopelessness he feels. Is this a change, or was he always afraid of doctors in the past? The things you describe *could* be symptoms of PD. Do they bother him as much as they upset you? Is he mentally clear? Could you make a "contract" with him that he would agree to see a doctor for diagnosis, for your sake,without committing himself to what he would do after that? When he says he doesn't want to know because "then he will give up", it sounds like he has a pretty clear idea in his own mind what he thinks he has. Can he tell YOU what he thinks? That might be a start. Does he know you have contacted us, and if so could you use that in some way to get him involved more positively? It's hard to be very helpful knowing so little, and at a distance, but perhaps someone will offer an idea you can use. I do suspect he is very depressed, and that makes it harder to reach and motivate him--many on the list know about that! Please let us know what happens, and remember you are not alone... >Please help. My father has something bad, he refuses to go to the dr., ever >since my Mom died with a brain tumor and was misdiagnosed for quite a while >first, he does not believe in doctors. He also says that he doesn't want to >know because he will give up, and he knows he will live longer in ignorance. > >I think he has Parkinson's, Huntington's, ALS? His symptoms started with >shaking in his hands, both, I guess, I can't see that one is worse than the >other. He just has trembling hands, they shake when he rests, not when he >sleeps, his shakes seem to get worse when he reaches for something, he >started saying he couldn't talk as well, though we didn't notice anything at >first. In a space of two years, he drools pretty bad, and we are starting >to not understand him when he talks. He seems to walk ok, though he is slow. >In the last year, he has lost at least 30 or 40 lbs, he is very small now, >it takes him a long time to eat. His grandfather died from Huntington's >disease, but his own father, now 85, doesn't have any of the symptoms, >though he shakes a little from old age I'm told. I've never seen him, he >abandoned my Dad when my Dad was 2, and I just found this out by contacting >my half-uncle. My dad is 59. >I want to know if anyone has advice on how I could convince him to go to the >dr, or what he might have, or what I can do. We have tried talking to him, >bullying him a little, asking, begging, shamelessly using his 2 year old >grandson as a reason, but it doesn't seem to work. >Does this sound like Parkinson's Disease? If so, how do you treat someone >without them participating? I've even been looking into Fava Beans, seeing >if I could get enough of them down him somehow to see if it makes a >difference, then at least I'd know what he has got? Anyone have any ideas? >We love him very much. We are ready to do whatever it takes to take care of >him and help him as much as possible. Any advice would be really >appreciated. Camilla Flintermann, CG for Peter 79/8 Oxford, OH [log in to unmask] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Ask me about the CARE list for* * Parkinson's caregivers ! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *