• Anniversaries abound!

    When last we met, we were preparing for a visit from my daughter Holly, Paul and grandchildren Charlie and Kayla.  We had a great visit, spending most of our time on the lake where Charlie enjoys riding the tube and Kayla is an expert fisher person and the DJ for the ‘partyboat’.  Holly and Paul tried out the new paddle boards and we squeezed in a trip to Knoxville for a nice dinner.

    Now for the anniversaries. Last week, Mara and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a visit to a wonderful B & B in the Smoky Mountains and a great dinner at the Foothills Milling Co.   After a busy month we enjoyed the R & R time which included a nice but strenuous hike to Spruce Flats Falls.  The trail was steep and rocky but the beautiful falls made it all worthwhile. As we walked the trail, we remarked that I probably could not have made this trip last year and what a difference the change in medication has  made in my symptoms.

    We finished up the week by taking the boat out to watch the sunset and the ‘blue’ moon rise.  This 180 degree panoramic photo doesn’t do justice to the beautiful sunset but it was a great way to celebrate my birthday!

    July 24th was the two year anniversary of my official Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis and August 6th marked two years of writing this blog. During the year I changed to a Movement Disorder Specialist at Vanderbilt Medical Clinic and I am happy to report that his changing my medication has made a remarkable difference in my symptoms and provided me with improved gait, balance and arm movement.  As noted above, I am walking at a normal pace and was able to hike the Smokie’s, something I could not have done last year.  I realize that PD is a progressive neurological degenerative disease and I haven’t been ‘cured’ but I sure feel much better than last year and I am not going to worry about when things will change but will continue to enjoy the ride while I can!

    Also this past year we attended several conferences including Rallying to the Challenge in Grand Rapids, Partner’s in Parkinson’s in Atlanta where we were members of a panel discussion and again in  Ft Lauderdale to learn about being Fox Trial Finder Ambassadors, and the Southern Symposium in Spartanburg, SC which included the Davis Phinney Foundation Victory Summit. Again we have added many new friends to our global support group as we attended  these meetings and conferences.

    This year we have become  MJFF Trial Finder ambassadors to help promote clinical trial participation, and we are participating in trials ourselves. We are working on a new website that will provide a list of PD resources in Tennessee that we hope to promote to PD patients, care persons and the  medical community.  We continue to promote the need for patient participation in the clinical trial process and will attend the second Rallying to the Challenge meeting in Grand Rapids, MI this fall.

    I hope you will stick with me for another year as I travel this road of living with Parkinson’s Disease.  I will continue to write about PD research, how my PD is affecting me and I still plan to add a page about exercise programs for PD.  I will continue to advocate signing up for Fox Trial Finder and the Fox Insight programs on the blog and in person.   As I said last year, I am aware of what the future “might” bring but I will continue to fight to delay the disease and maintain a positive attitude because I believe we will beat Parkinson’s!  Thanks for your support, positive thoughts, and encouraging words.

    “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

  • What I Did During My Summer Vacation (so far)!

    It’s been awhile since my last post so will try to catch you up with what’s been happening since June 19th but first and most important I am proud to announce that our granddaughter, Breanna, has been accepted into the University of West Virgina Medical School and will begin classes in August!  Very exciting news!

    As you can see by the photos below, we have had a very busy summer! And it’s not over yet, more to come in the next post.

     


    The 3M mini reunion while at a wonderful Pacific Coast wedding, what a lovely time. (yes that’s me with a new hat!)

    After the wedding, we met up with my son Ryan and his wife Sarahfor a short visit to the wine country which included dinner at the Russian River Brewery and a fantastic wine country tour
    with Jason  of Boutique Wine Tours (that’s him in the middle). Without a doubt the best way to visit some little known wineries, learn about the area, all while being driven in a limo.

    Next was a visit from Mara’s brother John and Kathy,who couldn’t wait to go tubing! We also traveled up to the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park for some sightseeing

    Then Ryan, Sarah, Julian and Trysten arrived for the Fourth of July.  Tubing, fishing, fireworks and watching the World Cup and the Tour de France! Good times.

    And we just enjoyed a short visit with Don and Mary Ann (one of the 3M’s) this week.  They stopped by after Don participated in a tennis tournament in Asheville, NC.

    Despite our busy schedule, I found time to join the Michael J Fox Foundation wearables study being conducted as part of  Fox Insight. The program is open  to PwP with an Android phone.  They have provided me with a Pebble Smartwatch at no cost which is linked to my phone via the Fox Insight app.  Currently they are tracking my activity and tremor via the watch.  The data is transmitted to my phone via Bluetooth and uploaded with no identifying data for analysis.  The app shows you the activity and tremor in graph form and also provides a medicine reminder, a way to report when you took your medication and to report how you are feeling. The only commitment is to wear the watch for at least 6 weeks.  Click here for more information and to sign up.

    And, as always, remember to sign up for Fox Trial Finder and Fox Insight  – despite my haranguing with every post, only 2300 people have signed up so far for Fox Insight.  No travel is required, it’s all web based and remember they need subjects without PD too, so get your family and friends involved.

     

    “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius

     

  • On the Road Again!

    Yes,we are on the road again.  We are working our way to San Francisco to attend a wedding which will also be another 3M reunion.  I say working our way because we left home at 8:45 AM for a 10:50 flight to Houston for our connection to arrive in San Francisco around 5pm.  But the Houston flight was delayed and we would miss our connection. Sam, a very helpful United employee, was able to get us on a US Air flight to Philadelphia leaving at 3pm and connecting to a San Francisco flight arriving at 9pm.

     
    So, with plenty of time to kill, we took a walk around the airport and on the way back to our gate I see that the Philadelphia flight was delayed and we would again miss our connection! So back to Sam at the United desk where they were able to get us on a 3:55pm US Air flight to Charlotte for a connection arriving in San Francisco at 8:30.
     
    With more time to kill, we decided to get some lunch and on the way back to the gate we see the Charlotte flight is delayed 30 minutes! This meant,if we left at the new scheduled time, we will have 20 minutes to change terminals. A small challenge for me and Dr. Parkinson but all that walking we have been doing paid off and we are in the air, bouncing our way to San Francisco.
     

    Once we get there,we will have a  new challenge,finding the little house we are renting in Bolinas, north of San Francisco,in the dark!

    Well it is the next day and we are sitting in the little house we rented looking out at the ocean as you can see in the picture.  We finally arrived here around midnight and this morning we took a nice walk down to town for some breakfast and a walk on the beach.  Good times, good times.

     
    After the wedding and 3M reunion we are going to Sonoma for a couple of days where we will meet up with son Ryan and his wife Sarah for some wine and beer tasting and probably some fine dining. More good times.
     

    This week I finally completed the long promised list of blogs and bloggers I follow. Click on the tab at the top of the page and check it out. Next I hope to work on the post about exercise.  Last week the results of a longitudinal study were released showing the benefits of exercise for Parkinson’s patients.  Here is a portion of the press release:

    SAN DIEGO – Regular exercise and increasing physical activity is associated with a slower decline in quality of life in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, according to a study released today at the 19th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders. This study evaluated 2,940 patients from 20 sites affiliated with the National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative. The cohort was assessed using the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), and patients were measured at baseline, 1 year, and 2 year follow up appointments. Those who were classified as non-exercisers at baseline and began to exercise after their initial visit had significantly less worsening of PDQ-39 than non-exercisers. Ultimately, the study found that increasing physical activity greater than 2.5 hours of exercise per week is associated with a slower decline in total PDQ-39 scores.

    Michael Okun, Professor of Neurology at the University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration states, “This study makes clear that everyone with Parkinson’s should be exercising. This longitudinal study of patients selected without exclusions shows that patients suffer from delaying starting their exercise program. It doesn’t seem to matter what they do, they benefit from just getting up and out and from moving.” Okun adds, “This study adds to mounting evidence that exercise is good and sooner is better than later.”

    I can certainly attest to the benefits of exercise and we are trying to average at least 5 hours a week so maybe I’ll get double the benefit! Hopefully that post won’t take as long as the blog list! In the meantime, check out some of the blogs on my list while you are waiting for my next post and don’t forget to sign up for Fox Trial Finder and the Fox Insight trial. Remember, they need control subjects too, not just Parkinson’s patients so sign up!

    “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
     

IT IS WHAT IT IS!

Seasons Greetings!

Hard to believe the year is almost over!  It has been a busy couple of months but I hope to catch up soon and get back to a somewhat regular posting schedule.  In the meantime, we hope everyone has a great holiday and we are looking forward to the new year and more progress in the search for a cure.

Happy Holidays!

Tom and Mara

Other Posts

IT IS WHAT IT IS!

Seasons Greetings!

Hard to believe the year is almost over!  It has been a busy couple of months but I hope to catch up soon and get back to a somewhat regular posting schedule.  In the meantime, we hope everyone has a great holiday and we are looking forward to the new year and more progress in the search for a cure.

Happy Holidays!

Tom and Mara

Other Posts

Year: 2015

  • Seasons Greetings!

    Hard to believe the year is almost over!  It has been a busy couple of months but I hope to catch up soon and get back to a somewhat regular posting schedule.  In the meantime, we hope everyone has a great holiday and we are looking forward to the new year and more progress in the search for a cure.

    Happy Holidays!

    Tom and Mara

  • Giving Tuesday is Almost Here!

    Tuesday, December 1st is Giving Tuesday. Black Friday is over and Cyber Monday is almost over and Tuesday will be a great opportunity to take some (or all) of the money you saved this weekend and give back by making a donation to a Parkinson’s Disease organization or another cause of your choice. As in past years, many charitable organizations have a matching plan that will double your Giving Tuesday donation for double the benefit.

    In case you need a little inspiration, I am reposting the following article “What is a Parkie? And Why are They so Expensive?“.  This article was written by Alan Zimmerman vice president of the East Tennessee Parkinson’s Support Group and posted on their website,  PK Hope is Alive . Alan is a strong and active advocate for Parkinson’s research and education. In addition to being Vice President of the group, he is the Assistant Tennessee State Director for the Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN) and a member of the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) People with Parkinson’s Advisory Council.

    Take some time on Tuesday and support the cause of your choice,  There is a lot of exciting news on the research front and our donations can make a difference!  Happy Holidays!!

     

    “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
     

     

    WHAT IS A PARKIE? AND WHY ARE THEY SO EXPENSIVE?
    by Alan Zimmerman
     
    Parkies are expensive devils.  How does $25 Billion per year in the US sound to you?  Not only that,we discover another 60,000 Parkies each year, right here in good old America.  That number that is guaranteed to rise.  And, each Parkie spends about $2500 per year trying to be less Parkie with an assortment of medications and untold more on supplements.
    So, what then is a Parkie?  It is what people with Parkinson’s disease call each other.  Yep, the term is pretty much reserved for those in the Parkie club.  They would rather be known by everyone else as people with Parkinson’s (PWP).
    I know that you know someone who is a PWP.  You may even have a relative with PD.  You have seen them taking short steps and all bent over and very stiff and slow, or maybe they are using a walker to get around or perhaps they shake uncontrollably.  Maybe you can’t hear or understand them when they talk.  Perhaps you, nor they can read their handwriting.  The list goes on and on.
    Who gets this disease?  Men are slightly more likely and most people are in their 60’s when diagnosed.  But, about one in ten are 45 or under.  By the time your symptoms are bad enough to be diagnosed, one has already lost more the 60% of their dopamine.  You see, that marvelous thing called a brain compensates until it no longer can.  Unfortunately, that is not the blessing it seems to be.  As more interventions are developed, the sooner the diagnosis, the better.
    Wait!  We have new terms: diagnosis and dopamine.
    Let’s take “diagnosis” first because most everyone has had at least one of those.  In the case of Parkinson’s there is no definitive way of diagnosing except by physical exam.  And, it really needs to be done by a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders.  There is no blood test or scan that will determine for sure that the monster called PD has attacked.
    What’s “dopamine?”  It is a chemical found in the brain.  What does it do?  Lots of things that we know about and probably some yet to be discovered.  For one, it is a communicator.  Somehow it signals the muscles to do whatever the brain tells them to do.  It also has something to do with mood, pleasure, depression and many other important functions.
    What causes this PD thing?  Nobody knows for sure but most scientists believe it is probably a combination of genetics and something in the environment, like heavy metals, toxins, or pesticides that trigger the beginning of the disease.  That is pretty much where science is.  OK, so where does it start?  Nobody is sure where exactly but some of the latest thinking is that it starts in the gut or maybe even the intestines.
    So, bottom line, what is the cure?  There isn’t one.  It just gets worse over time as more brain cells die.  OK then, what is the treatment?  Mostly, at this stage in modern medicine, only symptoms can be treated.  A few things may slow it down like exercise programs.
    We also have this thing called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).  Hold on, what’s that?  It may scare you if I tell you but here goes.  DBS is where a PWP has one or preferably two holes drilled in the scull.  Then you insert electrodes into certain places in the brain.  Then, you attach all that to a battery which is eventually buried into your upper chest.  Oh, I forgot to tell you.  Usually the patient is awake when those electrodes are being put in place.  Why?  So that the neurosurgeon can get feedback from the PWP.
    So, I guess we need more research.  There is a bunch going on world-wide, but we could always use more.  Researchers eat and have families and require laboratories.  What that means is that research has a price tag.  What a price tag means is that more donations are required.
    What else is needed?  More movement specialist physicians for one.  There are not enough now and certainly too few going to school while the Parkie population increases.  So, we need to encourage doctors to devote an extra two years of their life learning the intricacies of movement.  Guess what?  That too carries a pretty hefty price tag.  So, we need more scholarships which means we need more donations yet again.
    So, let’s review.  People with Parkinson’s are growing in numbers rapidly.  The disease is progressive and degenerative.  So far, we can pretty much treat the symptoms only.  But, through massive research, we believe that disease altering therapies are going to become a reality pretty soon.  What is pretty soon?  Maybe 5-10 years.  But, that only happens with support for research, i.e. donations.

  • Happy Thanksgiving!

    Just a quick post wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from Seattle.  I have much to be thankful for this year including:

    • making a change to a Movement Disorder Specialist who recommended a medication change that resulted in a great reduction of my symptoms;
    • and that improvement allowed me to increase my exercise time which also helped to reduce rigidity and increase my mobility; 
    • and the increased mobility gave us a chance to travel to visit family and friends across the country;
    • and I got to fish almost every day I was home without having to sit down after 15 minutes to rest!

    But most of all I am thankful for the support of my wonderful wife, my family, my friends and all of you who take the time to read my wandering posts.  I hope I have provided information of value to PwP’s and others through this blog and the Tennessee Parkinson’s Resources site that we started this year.

    Thank you all and Happy Thanksgiving!

     

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