>I hope the formatting is adequate for this report. I spent most of today
>working on the format and it is still not what I hoped it would be. Any
>suggestions would be appreciated. I composed the message as a text file
>in Notepad and then pasted in Eudora to send out.
>
>6 YEAR POST-Pallidotomy REPORT
>(Surgery date 12/1/93)
>By Dr. Don Berns
> United Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)
> On Off
> Prior to Surgery 12/1/93 -46 -51
>
> Six Years Post-surgery 12/1/99 -4 -12
>
> It is truly hard to believe that it has been six years since I
> was rolled into the O.R. for my pallidotomy. How different my life
> would be today had I not had the surgery. How barren my life would be
> had I not driven down to San Diego that Saturday four months before to
> hear Dr. Bob Iacono speak about how the pallidotomy was so much more
> effective than fetal cell implants.
> When I reflect on all that I have been able to do as the result
> of this operation I am overwhelmed and oh, so grateful.
> For those of you who are not familiar with my story. Let me say
> that I had a adrenal graft implant at Vanderbilt in 1987 with minimal
> benefits. On December 1, 1993 I had a simultaneous bi-lateral
> pallidotomy. This life changing transformation was performed by Dr. Bob
> Iacono, after others had told me I would not be a good candidate since my
> brain was already compromised by the surgery at Vanderbilt.
> As has been my commitment to the larger Parkinson's community I
> have posted updates on my condition every year since surgery. As I head
> into my seventh year post-surgery I continue to benefit greatly from the
> pallidotomy.
>
>COLUMN CODES
>-1 - SYMPTOM BEFORE SURGERY
> 0 - 6 mos. AFTER SURGERY
> 1 - 1 YR. POST-OPT
> 2 - 2 YR. POST-OPT
> 3 - 3 YR. POST-OPT
> 4. 4 YR. POST-OPT
> 5 - 5 YR. POST-OPT
> 6. 6 YR. POST-OPT
>
> SYMPTOMS BEFORE SURGERY & YEARS POST
> SURGERY
>SYMPTOM -1 0 1 2 3
>4 5 6
>___________________________________________________________________________
>_
>Tremor Severe Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
>Gone Gone
>
>Dysknsa Severe Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
>Gone Gone
>
>Sweatng A
>Lot Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
>
>Sleep
> Dsturb Severe Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
> Gone Slight
>Eyelids
>OpenWhile
> Sleepng Yes Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed
> Closed Closed
>Shuffle Yes Gone Gone Gone Gone
>Gone Rare Rare
>
>GaitFrze Yes Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
> Gone Rare
>SnseSmll Gone Better Better Better Better
>Better Better Better
>
>MuscleAche
>Yes Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
> Gone
>BackProblm
>Yes Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
> Gone
>Akinesia Yes Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
> Gone Gone
>Bradykinsa
>Yes Gone Gone Gone Gone Gone
>Gone Gone
>
>SexPerfmce
>Poor Great Great Great Great Great
>Great Great
>
>Stress Affect NoEfct NoEfct NoEfct NoEfct
>NoEfct NoEfct NoEfct
>
>Drooling Rare Slight Slight Slight Slight
> Slight Slight Slight
>Urgency Yes No No Slight Slight
> Slight Slight Slight
Urinate
>
>Dystonia None None None None None
>None None None
>
>Shortness
> ofBreath Yes None None None None
> None None None
>Voice Weak Better Better Varies Varies
> Varies Varies Varies
>Speech Affcted Better Better Better Better
> Varies Varies Varies
Handwritng
Bad Normal Normal Normal Normal Affect
Affect Affect
>On-Off Yes Gone Gone Gone Gone
> Gone Gone Gone
>Appetite Poor Normal Normal Normal Normal
>Normal Normal Normal
>
>Weight
> Loss Loss Gain Normal Normal Normal
> Normal Normal Normal
>Sense of
>Well Being
>Poor Exclnt Exclnt Exclnt Exclnt Exclnt
>Exclnt Exclnt
>
Don Berns Karen W. Berns
B.S.M.E., clay pot, Assoc. Pastor
M. Div.,Wounded Healer, Pleasant Hills Community
P.D., D. Min. Presbyterian Church
Parish Associate 199 Old Clairton Rd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
Website for Don Berns pallidotomy story
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/pienet/hithgang/hitdonb1.html
Karen & Don Berns
110 Delano Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
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