• Where in the world is Tom

    For those of you who like to keep track, July 24th – August 6th encompasses several milestones beginning with July 24th which is the 11th anniversary of my PD diagnoses. Yes, it has been 11 years and Mara and I think I am better now that I was then! Certainly I am in better physical shape due to the 5 – 7 days of exercise each week and my symptoms of bradykinesia and other motor symptoms are better because of taking Carbidopa/Levodopa. The fact that I have been able to reduce my Levodopa Equivalent Daily Dose (total LD per day from all sources) from 1688 mg to 932 mg over the past 5 years is certainly an indicator that something is working right.

    This week we celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary with a superb dinner out and a fine bottle of champagne! (I need to add the champagne tradition to the PD anniversary) I wouldn’t be in the shape I am without Mara’s support. She is not only the love of my life and my best friend, she is also my caretaker extraordinaire!

    Also this week I will celebrate my 78th birthday ( already have the champagne for this one!)

    And on August 6th this blog will be 11 years old, and this will be the first post of 2024! Yep it’s been 16 months since my last post and I have no valid excuse except to blame it on my Parkinson’s Disease non motor symptom of apathy. I have had various ideas or information that I could use to create a post but somehow they never get written. But I am going to make the breakthrough today!

    While I have successfully reduced my Levodopa Equivalent Daily Dose from 1688 mg to 932 mg per day, I haven’t stopped my PD progression particularly in non-motor symptoms. In addition to apathy, my handwriting is working it’s way to a completely illegible scrawl, my speech continues to get softer (I know, I should be using the Speak Out tools to improve this one) and constipation and drooling have become more prevalent. On the plus side, reducing my Levodopa has reduced my dyskinesia and something I am doing has improved my sleep, often getting 6 – 7 hours per night according to my FitBit:

    I wish I knew what I am doing to improve my sleep, I’m pretty sure I could patent it and make a fortune! I don’t follow any of the hints you see like reduce screen time ( I usually get in bed and read on my iPad!) or limit fluid intake before bed, or take melatonin or use CBD/Marijuana. The only thing I have doing different for the past 6 or 7 months is following a version of high dose thiamine therapy or vitamin B1 (HDTT) . I have noticed some improvements from following this therapy and I will discuss the details and process in my next blog post. There, I’ve set myself a task and I will plan to write the next post no later than next week.

    Speaking of tasks, I did update the Now What document with recommendations for persons who have been recently diagnosed with PD. You can click here or at the top right to read or print it.

    Until then, if you are a long time subscriber and wondered where I have been, I hope this finds you in good health and thank you for sticking with me despite my 16 month hiatus. Welcome to my new subscribers that have signed up in the last 16 months , now you know why you haven’t seen any posts.

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

  • It’s Parkinson’s Awareness Month – 9th Edition

    Yep, in the 10 years since I was diagnosed with PD, I have written at least one post in April about Parkinson’s Awareness Day, or Week or Month. The only year missing is 2018 when we were moving into our Sarasota home. I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and see what I wrote about in the past 10 years.

    The first year was 2014 (click on the links to view) and most of the post was about Autism, my colonoscopy, my first dermatologist visit and how nice the weather was that week, Finally at the end of the post I mentioned the local Unity walk.

    The next year, 2015, I quoted paragraphs from another blogger – Corey King. His views about awareness resonated with me and I hope my readers too.

    In 2016 my post was long but all about PD awareness! So after 3 years I have caught on to the program and filled a post with my thoughts.

    2017 was a quick one, with a link to a video about Unite for Parkinson’s.

    In 2019 I had two posts (making up for missing 2018) the first one about our spinning class moving the bikes and holding our class in the lobby of the YMCA which was covered by a local TV station and resulted in my first TV gig! In the second post I covered the YMCA ride again and discussed how the class helps me fight PD. I also talked about experimenting with my medications doses and I am pleased to see that I am taking even less 4 years later!! EXERCISE WORKS!

    In the COVID year of 2020, my World PD Day post was a review of the new book Ending Parkinson’s Disease, A Prescription for Action by Ray Dorsey MD et. al. The book was the basis for the Ending Parkinson’s movement that continues to lobby and push for research funding and has pushed to ban various chemicals that appear to cause PD.

    In 2021 I discussed the book from the previous year and pushed for readers to join PD Avengers, a global alliance to end parkinson’s. If you haven’t joined, it’s not too late, click on the icon to the right and be a PD Avenger.

    And last year, I introduced Spark! the new symbol for Parkinson’s Awareness. I also pushed again for readers to join PD Avengers and shared some infographics from the European PD organization on the myths of PD.

    Now it is 2023 and we are getting closer to finding a marker that will improve the results of research trials looking for a cure or at least a disease modifying solution. We know that exercise is the best medicine to slow progression and we have many more options to deal with ‘off’ periods than there were in 2013. There have been significant improvements to DBS and Focused Ultrasound options to help deal with motor issues and tremor. Trials of stem cell implants are at stage 2 and 3 and we know a lot more about the genetics of PD. But I am sorry to report that the cure for Parkinson’s is still at least 5 years away, just like it was 10 years ago.

    Parkinson’s Awareness month will continue into the foreseeable future as the hunt goes on to solve PD. So, join PD Avengers, donate to your favorite PD organization, join a clinical trial and let your elected officials know that you support the Ending Parkinson’s initiatives.

  • We Survived Hurricane Ian!

    We have lived in Sarasota, Florida for 6+ years and have come to believe in the urban legend that Sarasota is protected from hurricanes because the Native Americans who first settled here blessed the lands to stay eternally safe from destructive storms and hurricanes. Fact is Sarasota Bay has not been a bull’s eye for a major hurricane in Florida since reliable records began in 1871.

    But two weeks ago hurricane Ian that was forecasted to hit in Tampa to our North, started slipping south and suddenly the forecast was for it to come ashore in Sarasota. The emergency management authorities started evacuating the barrier islands, and we joined with a few neighbors to install hurricane shutters in preparation for a direct hit. Since 2002, the Florida building codes require new construction be able to withstand winds up to 150MPH. Our home was built in 2013 so it meets the new codes and it looked liked we were going to test the construction!

    We opened our home to couple of friends who had to evacuate and one of them joined us as we hunkered down and got ready to ride out the storm. The Indian blessing seemed to be working as Ian continued to drop to the south and came ashore near Ft Myers’s about 50 miles (as the crow flies)south of us and then tracked northeast thru the city of Northport about 20 miles south of us on its way to the Atlantic, passing over Sarasota with windspeeds of 85 -100 mph. The wind and rain went on most of the night and you could feel the gusts when they hit the house.

    We got up the next morning to find the house was undamaged except for a couple of loose roof tiles. There were lots of trees and bushes down in the area but no physical damage that we could see. Even more amazing was we never lost power! According to Florida Power and Light, of their 287,000 customers in Sarasota 280,000 were without power, so we were one of the lucky 7,000. We did lose our internet and cable for a several days, making it hard to keep up with what was happening as cell reception was spotty due to power being out to cell towers or the towers being damaged by the hurricane.

    It’s been two weeks since the hurricane and most of the debris in our development has been cleaned up. Our tennis courts are back in operation after replacing the clay that blew off and putting the wind screens back up. There are still pockets of the area without power or internet particularly south of us in Northport where a large portion of the city was flooded by the Myakka river which is still above flood stage.

    So, thanks to an Ancient Indian Blessing, good neighbors, and the updated Florida building codes, we survived our first and hopefully only hurricane. We are able to get groceries and fuel again and play tennis and cycle for PD. Life is returning to normal.

IT IS WHAT IT IS!

Rallying, Parkinson’s Movement Website, Care Partners Month, and Giving Tuesday!

Yep, as you can tell by the title, this a catch up post lightly touching on many topics.  For various reasons, it has been tough to find time for writing but I have a chance today so will try to cover all of these topics (and maybe more) in this post. Let’s get started!

Rallying to the Challenge – 2018

As you might recall from my last post, we had just attended the Grand Challenges in PD meeting in Grand Rapids MI.  This is a two day meeting that brings together scientists, clinicians and people with Parkinson’s to explore the latest in  Parkinson’s disease research. The meeting is hosted by the Van Andel Research Institute and includes a parallel meeting for PwP’s hosted by Van Andel and The Cure Parkinson’s Trust.   This is one of the few meetings that brings us all together and gives the  Parkinson’s community a chance to provide input impacting ongoing and planned research.  Even better, we got to say hello to many old friends while making many new friends as the meeting progressed.  At the end of the meeting, the Cure Parkinson’s Trust presented the Tom Isaacs Award to two outstanding individuals, Professor Bas Bloem of the  Netherlands who founded ParkinsonNet, an innovative PD care program and Simon Stott, who publishes the Science of PD  Blog about current research in PD which I have mentioned in previous posts. 

It was a great meeting and you can read more about it here and here.  Next year’s meeting is set for August 21 and 22 in case you would like to attend, click here for more information.

Parkinson’s Movement Website

The Cure Parkinson’s Trust sponsors the Parkinson’s Movement website which is maintained by PwP’s for PwP’s.  This website has recently had a total makeover and I highly recommend  you add it to your list of sites to visit on a regular basis.  The site has information about on going research and provides opportunities to get involved in research or share your insights.  They have a section called Hype vs Hope where they ‘fact check’ recent news stories, claims of a cure, etc.  They also have have a large list of  PD advocates listed along with their country of residence, the topics they advocate for and other information.  Check it out here.

Care Partners Month

November is National Care Partners Month and I know that you, like me, are thankful for your care partner(s) everyday of the year.  But this is a good time to remind you and your care partner that there are a lot of resources available for care partners including the Caring and Coping guide written for care partners for any stage of PD and available for the Parkinson’s Foundation.  You can download a copy or order a paper copy here

Giving Tuesday

Tuesday the 27th is Giving Tuesday.  This is a great opportunity to make a donation to your favorite charity and, in many cases, have it matched.  For example, after successfully raising one million dollars last year,  the Michael J Fox Foundation is shooting to raise two million dollars this year with every donation matched by anonymous donors.  Many other charities have similar opportunities on Tuesday, so scrape the bottom of your pocket book or wallet after Black Friday and Cyber Monday and help us find a cure for PD or the charity of your choice.

(And Maybe More)

Ben Stecher who writes the Tomorrow Edition blog has started a 9 part series about the Search for a Cure.  The first part was just published and can be viewed here.  Ben has traveled the world interviewing researchers, medical professionals and others about what they are doing and what the impact might be on the search for a cure, what the cure might look like and when it might happen.  So, another recommendation, sign up to follow Ben’s blog and his search for the cure.

Dr Ray Dorsey at the University of Rochester in New York is conducting a web based study to see if using a computer with a webcam and microphone will provide sufficient information for patient followup.  The entire study is web based and takes about 10 – 15 minutes.  It requires a computer with webcam and the Chrome browser but it is quick and easy and a chance for you to participate in a clinical trial without leaving your house.  You can get more information and participate in the trial at this website.

OK  that wraps it up for this post.  I hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday!

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

Other Posts

IT IS WHAT IT IS!

Rallying, Parkinson’s Movement Website, Care Partners Month, and Giving Tuesday!

Yep, as you can tell by the title, this a catch up post lightly touching on many topics.  For various reasons, it has been tough to find time for writing but I have a chance today so will try to cover all of these topics (and maybe more) in this post. Let’s get started!

Rallying to the Challenge – 2018

As you might recall from my last post, we had just attended the Grand Challenges in PD meeting in Grand Rapids MI.  This is a two day meeting that brings together scientists, clinicians and people with Parkinson’s to explore the latest in  Parkinson’s disease research. The meeting is hosted by the Van Andel Research Institute and includes a parallel meeting for PwP’s hosted by Van Andel and The Cure Parkinson’s Trust.   This is one of the few meetings that brings us all together and gives the  Parkinson’s community a chance to provide input impacting ongoing and planned research.  Even better, we got to say hello to many old friends while making many new friends as the meeting progressed.  At the end of the meeting, the Cure Parkinson’s Trust presented the Tom Isaacs Award to two outstanding individuals, Professor Bas Bloem of the  Netherlands who founded ParkinsonNet, an innovative PD care program and Simon Stott, who publishes the Science of PD  Blog about current research in PD which I have mentioned in previous posts. 

It was a great meeting and you can read more about it here and here.  Next year’s meeting is set for August 21 and 22 in case you would like to attend, click here for more information.

Parkinson’s Movement Website

The Cure Parkinson’s Trust sponsors the Parkinson’s Movement website which is maintained by PwP’s for PwP’s.  This website has recently had a total makeover and I highly recommend  you add it to your list of sites to visit on a regular basis.  The site has information about on going research and provides opportunities to get involved in research or share your insights.  They have a section called Hype vs Hope where they ‘fact check’ recent news stories, claims of a cure, etc.  They also have have a large list of  PD advocates listed along with their country of residence, the topics they advocate for and other information.  Check it out here.

Care Partners Month

November is National Care Partners Month and I know that you, like me, are thankful for your care partner(s) everyday of the year.  But this is a good time to remind you and your care partner that there are a lot of resources available for care partners including the Caring and Coping guide written for care partners for any stage of PD and available for the Parkinson’s Foundation.  You can download a copy or order a paper copy here

Giving Tuesday

Tuesday the 27th is Giving Tuesday.  This is a great opportunity to make a donation to your favorite charity and, in many cases, have it matched.  For example, after successfully raising one million dollars last year,  the Michael J Fox Foundation is shooting to raise two million dollars this year with every donation matched by anonymous donors.  Many other charities have similar opportunities on Tuesday, so scrape the bottom of your pocket book or wallet after Black Friday and Cyber Monday and help us find a cure for PD or the charity of your choice.

(And Maybe More)

Ben Stecher who writes the Tomorrow Edition blog has started a 9 part series about the Search for a Cure.  The first part was just published and can be viewed here.  Ben has traveled the world interviewing researchers, medical professionals and others about what they are doing and what the impact might be on the search for a cure, what the cure might look like and when it might happen.  So, another recommendation, sign up to follow Ben’s blog and his search for the cure.

Dr Ray Dorsey at the University of Rochester in New York is conducting a web based study to see if using a computer with a webcam and microphone will provide sufficient information for patient followup.  The entire study is web based and takes about 10 – 15 minutes.  It requires a computer with webcam and the Chrome browser but it is quick and easy and a chance for you to participate in a clinical trial without leaving your house.  You can get more information and participate in the trial at this website.

OK  that wraps it up for this post.  I hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday!

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

Other Posts

Month: November 2018

  • Rallying, Parkinson’s Movement Website, Care Partners Month, and Giving Tuesday!

    Yep, as you can tell by the title, this a catch up post lightly touching on many topics.  For various reasons, it has been tough to find time for writing but I have a chance today so will try to cover all of these topics (and maybe more) in this post. Let’s get started!

    Rallying to the Challenge – 2018

    As you might recall from my last post, we had just attended the Grand Challenges in PD meeting in Grand Rapids MI.  This is a two day meeting that brings together scientists, clinicians and people with Parkinson’s to explore the latest in  Parkinson’s disease research. The meeting is hosted by the Van Andel Research Institute and includes a parallel meeting for PwP’s hosted by Van Andel and The Cure Parkinson’s Trust.   This is one of the few meetings that brings us all together and gives the  Parkinson’s community a chance to provide input impacting ongoing and planned research.  Even better, we got to say hello to many old friends while making many new friends as the meeting progressed.  At the end of the meeting, the Cure Parkinson’s Trust presented the Tom Isaacs Award to two outstanding individuals, Professor Bas Bloem of the  Netherlands who founded ParkinsonNet, an innovative PD care program and Simon Stott, who publishes the Science of PD  Blog about current research in PD which I have mentioned in previous posts. 

    It was a great meeting and you can read more about it here and here.  Next year’s meeting is set for August 21 and 22 in case you would like to attend, click here for more information.

    Parkinson’s Movement Website

    The Cure Parkinson’s Trust sponsors the Parkinson’s Movement website which is maintained by PwP’s for PwP’s.  This website has recently had a total makeover and I highly recommend  you add it to your list of sites to visit on a regular basis.  The site has information about on going research and provides opportunities to get involved in research or share your insights.  They have a section called Hype vs Hope where they ‘fact check’ recent news stories, claims of a cure, etc.  They also have have a large list of  PD advocates listed along with their country of residence, the topics they advocate for and other information.  Check it out here.

    Care Partners Month

    November is National Care Partners Month and I know that you, like me, are thankful for your care partner(s) everyday of the year.  But this is a good time to remind you and your care partner that there are a lot of resources available for care partners including the Caring and Coping guide written for care partners for any stage of PD and available for the Parkinson’s Foundation.  You can download a copy or order a paper copy here

    Giving Tuesday

    Tuesday the 27th is Giving Tuesday.  This is a great opportunity to make a donation to your favorite charity and, in many cases, have it matched.  For example, after successfully raising one million dollars last year,  the Michael J Fox Foundation is shooting to raise two million dollars this year with every donation matched by anonymous donors.  Many other charities have similar opportunities on Tuesday, so scrape the bottom of your pocket book or wallet after Black Friday and Cyber Monday and help us find a cure for PD or the charity of your choice.

    (And Maybe More)

    Ben Stecher who writes the Tomorrow Edition blog has started a 9 part series about the Search for a Cure.  The first part was just published and can be viewed here.  Ben has traveled the world interviewing researchers, medical professionals and others about what they are doing and what the impact might be on the search for a cure, what the cure might look like and when it might happen.  So, another recommendation, sign up to follow Ben’s blog and his search for the cure.

    Dr Ray Dorsey at the University of Rochester in New York is conducting a web based study to see if using a computer with a webcam and microphone will provide sufficient information for patient followup.  The entire study is web based and takes about 10 – 15 minutes.  It requires a computer with webcam and the Chrome browser but it is quick and easy and a chance for you to participate in a clinical trial without leaving your house.  You can get more information and participate in the trial at this website.

    OK  that wraps it up for this post.  I hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday!

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

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