Barbara:
Thank you for your Welcome message upon my subscribing to the
List. Actually, I was a member before but just had to rejoin because my
computer wiped out my subscription.
In any case, I am a Caregiver for my dear friend, Muriel
(66/ 4 1/2). She had been very active but while working started to note
her handwriting getting smaller and smaller. This turned out to be the
first symptom. Ultimately, she started occasionally falling when one of
her feet would stick to the ground while walking. She took a bad fall in
the kitchen last year and did no damage but after the one week
hospitalization found that her legs had become rubbery. She now uses a
power wheelchairand has some aides assistiing her during the week--with
dressing and bathroom routines. She also developed swallowing problems
and I have had to do the Heimlich manoever on her about eight times in
the last two years. However, she is now very careful and no longer eats
foods that are liable to stick. Her hands do not work too well and as a
result of finger contractions she often drops food and takes a long time
to eat. However, we can now joke about it and I sometimes ask her for
her ETA for dessert. We both find that Humor is a tremendous help. I
subscribe to some Humor lists but sometimes we can just clown
around---even if its "Black" humor. She will be seeing a new, local
neurologist in a few weeks and is expected to get
speech and swallowing tests and therapy and also physical therapy. We
are starting to go to local Parkinson lectures and support groups and I
believe this will be very helpful---I hope. I tell her about the letters
to the List and she finds them very instructive and helpful .
I wish everybody well and thank you all for your
letters and helpful comments and information.
David
Silverman
