Weekly Check-In Oct 29-Nov 4, 2006 Welcome New Community Members

[steve m]

Hi Everyone..Welcome to the new community members and lurkers..Please join in if you havent, and if you have, please continue

What a day here in the Northeast!..Torential rain, and southeast winds gusting up to 60 mph..My support group meeting was this morning, and much to my surprise the place was packed!..Parkies arent wimps, thats for sure..It was like a mini hurricane here today..I was asked if I could pick up one of our new group members who lives on my way to the meeting..She has had pd for 25 years, and had DBS last year, and completely lost her speech as a result..When I arrived at her house I introduced myself to her husband who was grateful that I was able to pick her up because he had to work today..She was sitting in her wheelchair, and we got her up and she shuffle..stepped..froze..shuffle..stepped..froze out to my truck, and we got her in the truck and buckled her up and off we went in the pouring rain..We chatted..I talked and she responded with a palm pilot like device, and handed it to me to read her response..I could tell that she was happy to get out to the meeting, and I was happy just to get her there..There is just something that touches the heart and soul when you reach your hand out to folks..So anyway I got her back home safe and sound as the weather was alot worse when we left the meeting, and I gave her my phone number and e-mail address, gave her a hug and told her to call me if she needed a ride to next months meeting..After all the controversy in the PD world this week, I couldnt help but think about how important public awareness of the losses we incur as a result of this disease..Anyway I had to go down to the boatyard and check my boat after I left her house..That got me good and soaked..Everything was ok, so I jogged down the finger pier to my truck and got out of the rain..Its amazing how I can jog better that I can walk..Weird disease!..:confused:

I fished almost everyday this week, which was good..I really had to force myself to go because I really would rather have stayed home, but once I got in the boat I was happy that I was there..Damned lack of motivation..:rolleyes:

Ive got an appointment made with a Urologist for my brother on Nov 20th..Hes doing ok and going about his business..I dont bring up anything about what might or might not be going on with him, because I dont know for sure, and I dont want to worry him, even though Im worried myself..I think about the "what ifs" everyday..Its real hard not only because hes my brother, but also because he has this child like innocence about him..Hes had enough obstaclers in his path during his life, and this just doesnt seem fair, if its cancer

So thats my week folks..How was your week?

Steve

[mamafigure]

Steve, I responded in the other forum, but since some of our friends are in both borums, I am posting here, also. Sorry for some redundancy.

I am so glad that you are fishing. Be careful of these winds, though!!

It's funny, I was talking to my grandmother on Friday, as usual, and she was really perky. She had been supervising the guy who was repairing the upstairs porch and had polished all of her copper-bottomed pans. She had plans laid out already for the next day of replacing all of the register filters. What she said was, "If I have a plan of what to do, it just makes the day," or something to that effect. She will be 95 in January and still lives alone in northern PA.

This week was a rough one for me. A colonoscopy without meds - just what I had been asking for. It went fine, but it was a very difficult one the dr said. She was kind of a battle ax before, but was really sweet and gave me a hug afterwards saying that she didn't know anyone who could have done it, including herself. It was all right, the only bad thing was that I had to take Reglan the day before and had a terrible, terrible reaction to it (couldn't breathe, anxious, dizzy, hallucinating, terribly cold, etc.) which had some lingering effects into the next day. I was alone with my daughter that was disabled, so just toughed it out.

The pain is not letting up at all, so I can't eat or sleep much. I needed to lose weight anyway, so I am thinking of it as a positive.

Tuesday is the appointment with the surgeon. Oh, the colonoscopy told us what I had already suspected - adhesions restricting the colon. I think that this is only part of the story. We'll see.

Anyway, thanks if you actually read this dribble. Have a great week.

mama

[Chicory]

I am feeling great- better than I have in 2 months- now that I got rid of the stone in my bladder. I had the surgery last Thursday and now I can go the bathroom normally. The urologist said I would still have a problem after the surgery because of PD, but I'm not having a problem now, so I hope that lasts. At least I know how to self-cath now, so if I do have a problem again, I won't have to go to the ER again like I did in August.

Also, I recently switched to Stalevo from Mirapex. While on the Mirapex, my appetite was greatly reduced and I frequently couldn't finish a meal. I lost 20 lbs, which I wanted to lose, but was starting to worry about losing too much. Well, now I have my appetite back. It feels good to eat more normally- I just have to be careful so I don't gain back what I lost. I had gained the 20 lbs. 5 years ago because of a med prescribed for endometriosis, so now I am back to where I was before that.

Mamafigure- I hope you feel better soon. I hope your appt. Tuesday goes well.

Steve- I understand your worrying and it is hard to wait so long. I was worrying all October about my surgery and it all went well, so I hope it works out for your brother.

Chicory

[Eve]

Yes I did the worrying thing all of October as well and the surgery wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Now almost a week has gone by and I am doing well. It is strange to have my bladder back up where it is supposed to be. I feel like a new woman, I'd like to say it was a successful operation but iI think I'll wait till my six weeks go by to make sure everything is back to normal. One thing we Parkies do very well is "Worry".

[chksix]

I had a pretty mellow week. Now that I’m separated from my wife of 19 yrs my life is much less stressful. I get down in the dumps every now and then, tho. Like today, I fell forward and smashed into the dresser and knocked it completely over. Didn’t really hurt myself, but it kinda got me down for a few minutes. So, I just try to stay busy piddling around the house and on the computer.

Steve—try not to worry, because it only heaps sorrow onto whatever it is you’re worrying about. It’s good for me to tell you that because I’m reminding myself at the same time. Good to hear you spent the week fishing. What all did you catch? I did a bit of fishing when I lived in Swansboro, NC for a few years. I was in the Marine Corps at the time, so I could only fish part-time. We mostly set out crab-pots, and sometimes I’d go clamming with a bull-rake in the White Oak river. I also worked at the Swansboro Ice and Seafood plant where we had set up a huge soft-shell blue-crab operation. Big fun and hard work. I really miss eating fresh seafood.

mamafigure—yeh, it sounds like you did have a rough week. Being sick and all these visits to the doc can sure take a toll on you, so be sure to be extra good to yourself.

Chicory—good to hear your surgery went well and that you’re feeling more normal these days. Yeh, mirapex was hard for me to tolerate as well. I, too, lost a lot of weight. Hope the stalevo does it’s job.

Eve—good to hear you’re doing well after surgery. Make sure you follow all the doc’s orders, and do something extra nice for yourself.

[steve m]

chksix..I catch conchs with traps..I have a 47' dragger but its for sale because it has become too much for me now..Too much work, maintainence, fuel prices are too high, too much stress, etc..I can haul all my traps in about 2 hours, so its much easier for me, plus it keeps me busy

Steve