Parkinsons...

[Chipchopper]

is it possible to lead a relatively normal life

[boxtops]

I guess it depends on the individual, but I have a friend with Parkinsons, she takes daily medication and yes, she leads a normal life.

[gness]

In many cases yes....my brother in law was diagnosed many, many years ago. He is now ninety one.....and apart from the slight shaking and some hesitant speech it is very well controlled....x

[boxtops]

^ perceived as normal, that is - she tries not to get too tired, and finds her symptoms are worse when she's cold.

[FrogNog]

Well Billy Connolly and Pope John Paul II and Billy Graham did/are doing okay, so there's always hope.

[Psybbo]

My cousin's OH recently diagnosed with Parkinson's, she has read an article suggesting walking helps to ease the shaking

[DTCwordfan]

A Colonel in sheltered housing is all the bs and es with the women, very dapper, bespoke suits and shoes, a corsage in his lapel every day, impeccably mannered.

One of the inmates invites him over for dinner 'and, afterwards, we'll sit in the sofa, have a cuddle, and watch TV.

And that's what they did to the T - lovely food, candles and wine, the sofa, the cuddle and watch TV.

A couple of days later, she sees him out with another woman. She gets him to one side.....

"What's she got that I haven't, then?"

"Parkinson's," was the reply.


A mate of mine passed this onto his Uncle, who had the condition. His comment was that was the funniest thing he had heard about the disease since being diagnosed with it.

[Sqad]

This is quite a large topic and i am not sure as to what you want.

There is no cure for Parkinson's Disease and it is progressive.

Diagnosis is not as easy as one might think and posters may be describing the lifestyle of people who are not suffering from Parkionson's......this is not an uncommon situation.

So........anything specific that is on your mind?

[corylus]

Suggest you refer to Parkinson's UK helpful website for further information.

[Sqad]

I agree corylus

http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/content/everyday-life-parkinsons

[DTCwordfan]

It's progressive and it can be slow as well as quick - one of the things to look for is Parkinson's Dementia, a cousin to Alzheimer's. My mother's best friend has this....

[FrogNog]

Everyone I mentioned has been diagnosed Sqad.

[Sqad]

Frognog........ I am not doubting your post.

[atalanta]

What a coincidence. Only yesterday I attended a lecture at a famous medical institution on deep-brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease. We were shown "before" and "after" videos, and the change was truly miraculous. A man, shaking hideously, stiff and confined to a wheelchair, managed to get up and walk freely. An upright woman who was utterly unable to turn round on the spot was suddenly able to move fluently wherever she wished. The surgeon giving the lecture assured us that such brain surgery is not actually terribly difficult, and seldom seriously dangerous. Looks like an answer to prayer.

[DTCwordfan]

Atalanta - at what age did they operate - the patients not the surgeons?!

[atalanta]

Thay didn't seem to take age into consideration - they just operated on patients who needed help. The ones in the videos looked middle-aged to later-middle-aged, as far as I could see. By the way, I was fascinated to hear that they can also treat some cases of depression and even ( maybe soon) anorexia with deep-brain stimulation

[DTCwordfan]

thanks!

[gness]

Atlanta.....it must be said that it's not always successful though....and can't yet be an answer to a prayer, I wish it were....I know that only too well and there is a long way to go yet....x

[atalanta]

Clearly deep-brain stimulation can be AN answer to prayer, if not The answer to prayer. Some people are very obviously being transformed from living wrecks to very-close-to-normal. Their prayers Are being answered, if possibly only partially and temporarily, but the techniques are currently advancing by leaps and bounds.
And I am a legendary princess, not a US city, by the way.