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Camilla 'n Peter, et al.... I was as stiff as a concrete block wall prior to my Oct., 1994, unilateral pallidotomy and had no visible tremor whatsoever in the then 18 years I'd had Parkinson's. .I *AM* a lefty tho, thank goodness, but ya STILL need that other side of your body to be REASONABLY functional, and my right side sure wasn't that!! On that fateful October day, in 1994, by the time I was wheeled into the operating room at Loma Linda University Hospital, the right side of my body was always rigid, cramped, terribly stiff, AND nearly useless. When I walked.... Errrrr.... actually, I literally DANCED.... out of the operating room one hour later, accompanied by the two beaming neurosurgeons who performed the surgery, Dr. Gary Heit of Stanford U. Med Center, and Dr .Robert Iacono of Loma Linda U. Med Center, my body was relaxed and I moved with fluidity AND comfort! And tho this past year the PD jumped to my left side, I'm STILL very "normal" looking and FEELING in my right side!! THAT side has remained essentially "normal" since my pallidotomy! My experience and research indicates to me that the BEST neurosurgeons specializing in movement disorders chose each prospective pallidotomy recipient very carefully, on a per patient basis, rather than adhering to a "We only operate on PD patients having tremors" policy. If THAT had been true in Oct. of '94, yours truly wouldn't have been a candidate for pallidotomy and wouldn't have received a renewed chance at feeling fully alive and whole once again. Warm hugs to you both.... Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Camilla Flintermann <[log in to unmask]> To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]> Date: Sunday, November 01, 1998 12:04 PM Subject: Re: Electrically Stimulating the Brain >Jane Ross-- that's wonderful that your symptoms have been so much decreased >by the surgery. I think I'm correct that this and most of the brain >interventions now available are mainly heloful for PQPs who have tremor, as >you say was your case. While I rejoice with you, I can't help wishing that >there were >equally good interventions for the other main symptoms, rigidity and >bradykinesia, for those who, like Peter ,have no tremor ----does anyone >know if such exist yet? > > >I have had this surgery. March 1996, at the Oregon Health Science >>University at Portland, Oregon, I was in a research study. I don't know >>if it has been opened up to the public there yet. It is very expensive and >>insurance companies are reluctant to pay for it. >> >>I have had PD for 20 years and my symptoms are all but gone on the left side >> and about 80% improvement on the right. My symptoms were mainly tremor. >>I no longer take any sinemet and only take 1/2 mg Mirapex twice a day > > >Camilla Flintermann, CG for Peter 80/9+ >Oxford, Ohio >http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/camilla/one.htm ><[log in to unmask]> > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > * Ask me about the "CARE " list * > * for caregivers of Parkinsonians * > * * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * >