I found this article tonight at MSNBC.com. I really object to its overall
tenor. It glosses over the misery so many of us face every day. Yeah, I was
able to work for 6 years after diagnosis. But now It is 11 years later and
things sure are different! I intend to write a letter to the writer and
MSNBC stating my objections.
New therapies help Parkinson's patients buy time
New York, Sept. 24 - Parkinson's disease is a chronic, degenerative brain
disease characterized by loss of balance, slowness of movement, tremors and
problems with memory and concentration. While Parkinson's is a progressive
disease that worsens over time, many people manage to lead successful lives
despite having Parkinson's.
It has been 8 years since Bob Roxenberg noticed that his hand was
shaking. Roxenberg was soon diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Although his
medications keep him in good shape most of the time, Roxenberg has noticed
some deterioration.
"My handwriting became illegible. It was difficult to use a knife and
fork to cut my food, difficult to button my shirt, especially these small
buttons on the button-down collar. I couldn't turn over in bed - my wife had
to practically shove me," said Roxenberg.
According to Dr. Enrico Fazzini of the New York University Medical
Center, "The medicines usually work very well for the tremors, the slowness
and the stiffness. But in terms of the balance and impairment and the
cognitive impairments, the medicines don't really work that well. And those
are the symptoms that become more severe the longer the patient has
Parkinson's."
Despite the progressive nature of the disease, there is good news - new
surgical procedures such as brain stimulators and fetal cell implants can
buy patients years of relatively good health. New medications are also being
tested to help improve Parkinson's patients' quality of life.
There are example that prove that Parkinson's patients can lead
productive lives. Attorney General Janet Reno, Pope John Paul II and actor
Michael J. Fox all have Parkinson's and continue to work.
Roxenberg said, "Sure, there is living with Parkinson's. You can go
about your business and do almost anything, but you have to make some
adjustments."
Dr. Fazzini added, "They have to realize that if they have periods of
the day when they can't function as well, don't be a perfectionist. Just try
to relax, wait for the medicines to work again. Try to live with it, and go
with the flow basically. When the medicines are working, you do as much as
you can. When they're not working, you relax until they're working again."
The idea behind present day Parkinson's therapy is to buy time by
keeping patients in relatively good health while a cure is found. There is a
lot of research going toward that end.
But research takes money. If you want to help in that effort, you can
join thousands of New Yorkers this Sunday for the Parkinson's Unity Walk to
raise money for research.
The Unity Walk will start at the Central Park Bandshell at 72nd Street
at 11:30. Call 212-580-6505 for more information.
