Hilary Blue's Detailed Description of Disability
as caused by Parkinson's Disease symptoms and
Parkinson's Disease medications side effects
1.0 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE
The symptoms of the movement disorder known as Parkinson's Disease are
commonly treated with medications; the disease itself is incurable and
progressive. The major symptoms:
a. Tremor,
b. Bradykinesia i.e. Slowness of Movement,
c. Rigidity,
d. Fatigue, and
e. Balance Problems,
all manifest in different intensities and combinations in different PD
patients.
As the disease progresses, the human brain becomes more sensitive to minute
variations in medication levels: the medications themselves cause side
effects; the response to the medications becomes less constant and more
unreliable. The PD symptom response or non-response to medications, along
with the side effects caused by the medications, all can manifest totally
unpredictably, in matters of minutes.
After several years, most Parkinson's Disease victims are seriously
affected by "on"/"off" fluctuation response to medications. In the "on"
mode, the Parkinson's Disease symptoms are mostly under control; in the
"off" mode, the Parkinson's Disease symptoms are not under control at all,
i.e. the untreated disease symptoms become obvious, and side effects from
the medications manifest.
2.0 MY CURRENT STATUS
RE PARKINSON'S DISEASE SYMPTOMS AND MEDICATION SIDE-EFFECTS
I have been taking PD medications for 17 years and have become extremely
sensitive to them. I have to take medication every 90 minutes in order to
try to keep my condition as level [i.e. minimize the "on"/"off"
fluctuations] as possible.
If I don't take my medication on time, and sometimes even if I do, I go
into an "off" state in a matter of minutes: I "stiffen up" (rigidity
symptom) and have great difficulty moving about in any way, e.g. walking,
rolling over in bed, or simply raising my arms.
MAJOR MOTOR CONTROL DIFFICULTIES
Throughout the day, I have several periods of dyskinesia - uncontrollable
jerky body movements. (Dyskinesia is a side effect of the developed
sensitivity to PD medications.) In addition, I have periods of "freezing"
(i.e. locked in place due to muscle rigidity) where I cannot move at all
for several minutes. My sense of balance is severely impaired, making going
up and down stairs difficult, and climbing a stepladder or standing on a
step stool impossible. I have had to give up driving and find my lifestyle
and options severely restricted as a result.
FINE MOTOR CONTROL DIFFICULTIES
I have lost a great deal of fine motor control: it is very difficult for me
to use a push button telephone; it is difficult or impossible to turn
pages, file cards, do up buttons; my typing skills have deteriorated
considerably (this document has been typed for me); my handwriting has
become smaller and smaller over the years and is now so illegible that even
I cannot read it. (Micrographia is a secondary symptom of Parkinson's
Disease.)
COGNITIVE DIFFICULTIES
My powers of concentration have been damaged - especially when I am "off".
I have to concentrate hard to think straight. I cannot do two things at
once: e.g. walk and talk. I suffer short term memory loss; I forget simple
information, especially when under stress, or "off".
SPEAKING DIFFICULTIES
My speaking voice has become very soft, and at times unclear and slurred.
(This is a secondary symptom of Parkinson's Disease.)
VISION DIFFICULTIES
The muscles of the eye, like all the other muscles of the body, do not
functioning normally. I can tell when it is time for me to take medication:
my vision slips out of focus; I may see double. In addition, my depth
vision has been damaged.
FATIGUE
I suffer constant tiredness, due to difficulty in sleeping, combined with
the constant muscular stress of dyskinesia or rigidity. (Fatigue is a major
symptom of Parkinson's Disease.)
NARCOLEPSY
I tend to fall asleep instantly for minutes at a time, with no warning.
(This is a side effect of the Parkinson's Disease medications.)
3.0 SUMMARY OF DISABILITIES AS IMPACTING JOB PERFORMANCE
All of the above Parkinson's Disease symptoms and Parkinson's Disease
medication side effects have a detrimental effect on my ability to carry
out the essential tasks involved in the librarian profession, including
management, customer relations, carrying books and shelving, cataloguing
and classification, and computer skills.
janet paterson
52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset
PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada
a new voice http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/
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