Weekly Check-In Oct 15-21, 2006 Wecome New Community Members

[steve m]

Hi Everyone..Welcome new community members, and lurkers!

The nights have been getting very cool lately..The past few nights its been in the 30's..Im trying not to burn anymore oil that I have to..the stuff is expensive these days

Yesterday I was invited to a support group here because Congressman Jim Langevin was the speaker and he talked about developing stem cell research in Rhode Island..He gave a good talk on the subject and answered questions when he was done..There was only about 15 people in attendance..I checked out the R.I. APDA Chapter website yesterrday and the amount of support groups in R.I. since my dx 2 yrs ago is about cut in half, and I know its not for lack of people with pd

I did not feel good almost all week..All I did mostly was lay down and watch the tube..There were a few days where I literally couldnt get out of my own way..I must have had a touch of a bug or something because I felt good enough today to go out in my boat and haul my traps..I really wasnt up to going to that support group meeting yesterday, and it was out on the other side of the state..But I felt that I should be there if I could possibly make it there

So thats my week..How is everyone doing this week?

Steve

[Eve]

Hi Steve I seem to have a touch of the flue or something. Not feeling very well at all. I am going to try to get in to see my GP tomorrow. Also I am scheduled for surgery on the 24th of October, not looking forward to that, but I have made up my mind that I am going. All summer I was feeling not bad and then when the cold damp weather arrives I seem to go down hill. Or maybe it is the natural progression of this disease that is rearing its ugly head.

[proudest_mama]

Steve & Eve (hey, I'm rhyming!)

Sending hugs and prayer your way. Many, many times, this is where I find the support that I so badly need.

Eve, what are you going in for surgery for?

Steve, I certainly hope it was just a bug. If I remember correctly (and most times I don't!), I thought you were kind of a newbie and I'd hate to blame PD on how you felt. I hope you're up and running this week.

As for my week, it seems that I have my ups and downs. More ups than downs, but it's still present, lurking, and waiting to be unleashed.

I broke down on Saturday evening, trying to explain to my husband the absolute and total confusion I've been feeling. I'm going to give it a few months but only because there has been extraordinary stress and changes in my life.

New pastor, new boss, moving our office from one location to another, and now moving back to even a third location. Three children off to college, a husband who was gone on business most of September, and at our work, gearing up for the annual banquet which, if we don't pull in enough donations, we all go on 3/4 time pay.

Same with the bank. My office has been banking with a particular bank for ten years or so. I was told to change it to another, and then ... just after the signature cards are done and I receive the checks in the mail, they told me to open yet a third account! (Oh, and no one told me that the office reimbursement check from Colorado was being deposited in bank #2, so the checkbook is "only" $2000 short than what I thought it was). Not a big deal, because nothing bounced, but we were within a hair's breath of doing that.

All in all, however, my home life is at least becoming a bit calmer. I've been enjoying time with our 13 year old, because for the past six months or so, he's been left in the dust, simply because his three older siblings were headed off to college and we had more pressing things to do.

Even so, my "to do" list is endless. Just this weekend, the master bedroom lost power. Go figure. Everything else works. My husband changed fuses, switched this with that, unplugged any and everything we thought might help, yet we still don't have power in our bedroom. Extension cords are being used in both the master bathroom and the hallway to at least draw some power (i.e. this computer, a light and two alarm clocks!)

I then have to try and locate a plumber to install a soft water system. It's not as easy as one would think because our home is in a subdivision with 36 total homes, each on a half acre lot, and all on our own septic system. The last plumber I had come out this way honestly returned my deposit because he didn't know anything about septic systems.

We also need a recommendation for a roofer as well as a jeweler. (The diamond in my ring fell out). Who do you trust in an area that is unfamiliar to us?!!

Anyway, I'm hoping that things ease up a bit and my stress level is reduced. But, if that doesn't help, I may have to quit and/or change jobs. I positively LOVE what I do ... and who can beat a part-time job, averaging between 20 and 30 hours a week, that allows you to freely come and go as long as the work gets done?

My confusioin and loss of short-term memory is affecting my performance at work ten-fold. I'm going to start a new thread because I need to know if it's due to PD, if a change in medications would help, or if it progressively gets worse and can't be overcome by drugs. As much as I want to know, another huge part of me wants to crawl under the covers and pretend all is fine with the world. Knowledge is power but sometimes I just want to wallow in self pity.

Until next week ...

Terri

[steve m]

Hi Steve I seem to have a touch of the flue or something. Not feeling very well at all. I am going to try to get in to see my GP tomorrow. Also I am scheduled for surgery on the 24th of October, not looking forward to that, but I have made up my mind that I am going. All summer I was feeling not bad and then when the cold damp weather arrives I seem to go down hill. Or maybe it is the natural progression of this disease that is rearing its ugly head.

Eve, that explains what I feel exactly..In the summer I feel good and when it gets cool its all downhill

[chksix]

Hello steve, Eve, and proudest mama. Very glad that the forum is back up. So, steve--how's the catch these days? Good to hear you're sticking with it, although I know you've cut back a bit.
Sorry to hear of your memory problems, proudest mama. Been having trouble with that myself. When your memory plays tricks on you it's easy to get confused. Lately, I've found it very difficult to count one-dollar bills. I get to 6or 7 and then just lose track. Very strange feeling. Wish I could offer some useful advice, but I spend most of my time at my wits end. Sounds like you've been extra busy, proudest mama. Be sure to get "extra" rest.
Hope your surgery goes well, Eve.
As for myself, I'm happy to report that I'm adjusting nicely to my recent divorce. Sleeping much better, and a lot less overall stress. I also have a new constant companion--a young Siberian husky that I rescued from along side the highway. This dog is really something. We call him buddymonster. Here is a pic http://www.geocities.com/grnholland1/BuddyMonster.jpg He's constantly by my side. The other day I fell forward and got stuck between the sofa and the coffee-table; my left hand was on the table, right shoulder on the sofa, and my face was about a foot off the floor; buddymonster comes along and ducks his head and shoulders underneath my face/chest and procedes to lift me up--with a considerable amount of force. He got me laughing, and I was able to roll over onto the sofa. Very funny stuff.

[Eve]

ToyL , I guess it is true what they say about dogs being a man's best friend. You seem to have found a beautiful looking dog at that. It's strange how you found the dog just when you are now alone after going through your divorce. It almost seems like it was meant to be. Everything happens for a reason, sometimes we just don't reconize it right away. Proudest Mama, I'm worried about your lengthy "to do list". Perhaps you should start to delegate some of those jobs to others, even if you have to pay for the help. Having P.D. and trying to do too much can cause us Parkies to crash "Big Time". Look after yourself, if you don't, no one else will. My surgery is for a prolapsed bladder, which I am hoping won't cause me many problems. I guess I won't know till I go through with it. I'm not one to go under the knife unnecessarily, I've given this a lot of thought. Keep your fingers crossed that I don't go through one of those horror stories that we read about on this site when PWP go into the hospital. Steve, we are kindred spirits, we are the same age, were diagnosed around the same time and we seem to thrive in the good weather. Its nice to know your out there walking the same path with me, I enjoy your company.

[steve m]

Thanks Eve..My feelings exactly..I can relate my pd condition as well as age..our place in life..etc to you like a mirror image..

So we will continue to "Follow the Yellow Brick Road"..;) :D