Choking Episode

I'm still feeling remarkably well, considering it's been weeks now since I took a PD med. Reading a post on PLM makes me think it's at least in part due to the 6-8 cups of green tea I'm drinking most days. Taking the Turmeric and eating a lot of the Super Foods, mostly raw, probably has a lot to do with it, too.

I'm doing my neck exercises each morning, using the cervical collar daily for about 15 minutes, and using the TENS when I need it, so I'm not hurting much, either.

But I did have another choking episode this morning. It's a little hard to explain. I've done it several times lately with my own saliva, but this morning I had a mouth full of tea when a tiny amount just slipped down the wrong way. I wasn't really swallowing, either. That's what has been happening with saliva, too. I may not know how it's happening, but I sure know the results! I end up coughing and gagging for several minutes each time, and it hurts. I'm going to have to try to figure out exactly what is happening, so I can decide the best way to prevent it.

Other than that, I'm feeling fine. I worked really hard on our collectibles and toy inventory yesterday, and pretty well wore myself out, trying to get it stored in a more logical and organized way. But it was good exercise, and I'm glad I was able to do it. I also added another pile to the lasagna compost. That is slowly building up an area of rich material about 100 square feet or so and over a foot high. I haven't done any walking or Tai Chi for some time, and I do need to get back to it, now that I'm feeling better.

There was a good explanation of voice exercises on PLM, too, so I guess I'll try to add those exercises to my daily routine, too.

And, to finish this post on a positive note, neither one of us have a single doctor's appointment this whole month!!!

Getting Back to "Normal" and Doing Some Soul Searching

I didn't have any lasting bad effects from the Physical Therapy last week, and my neck continues to improve. The pain is essentially gone, although I do still have some stiffness, and certain activities still hurt. At least I am not hurting when I'm doing nothing!

I continue to limit my reading about Parkinson's, but it sure is hard to intentionally stay away from Parkie friends I value so much. I had intended to stay away until I had the appointment with the Movement Disorder Specialist (MDS) in April, but I just couldn't do it. They are too much a part of my life now. If I am diagnosed with something besides PD, I plan to keep up with them anyway. I did stay active in the Alzheimer's caregiver forum I belonged to for quite awhile after our parents died, but I did finally quit visiting. Life moves on eventually.

I had another choking episode with a pill a couple of days ago that was really bad. That particular pill burns in the mouth, for some reason, if it doesn't go down right away, and it burned in my throat when it got stuck. I ended up with a very sore throat that lasted until the next day. So, again, I've gone back to doing what my Gastroenterologist told me to do. Taking the pills in apple sauce instead of water makes all the difference. I'm just being lazy, and dealing with a heavy dose of apathy right now. That's the only way to explain that it's easier to get a glass of water than to open the fridge and get out the apple sauce and a spoon. I have gradually stopped doing several things he told me to do, and I need to get back to the straight and narrow, for my own sake, and my hubby's. He worries about me so, often without good reason, other than he loves me. I must try to do all I can to keep from getting myself into situations like this that scare him so.

There was a post on Patients Like Me today that has me doing some heavy thinking. Basically, it was about how many Parkies avoid being around those PWP who are farther along in their stage of the disease, because they do not want to be confronted with their own possible future. I know I fit in that category, as I have intentionally not even tried to find a support group, and I have turned down some invitations to meet some online Parkie friends who live in Alabama, too. It's one thing to read how they are doing, but quite another to see it for myself. I know that's the way I would react, because I freaked out when I first looked at a free DVD I ordered that had real Parkinson's people doing exercises. I haven't watched it again. It does help, knowing that other PWP feel this way, too, but it's not fair for those who are farther along, who are missing the support they need. It's a reaction I'm going to have to work on, but not until after I see the MDS.

As it always seems to be, I get better in one area and regress in another. I guess that's normal for everybody, right?

Day One with Sinemet

Yesterday was the first full day of taking Sinemet again, as well as the Requip and Zelepar I was already on. I also had the Lodosyn and Sucralfate I requested from the ER doc, so that the Sinemet had a better chance of not making me so nauseated, the way it did last year. I started the morning hardly able to feed myself or walk, but ended the day almost back to my normal state. That was a huge relief, to say the least!!!

I also talked to my Gastroenterologist last night, but without any real conclusion to my gas and belching problem, or my elimination difficulties. He basically just asked me a lot of questions, most of which I could not give him any clear cut answer to, and told me to go on and make an appointment with him. I told him about the ER trip, and how I had been delaying my Neuro appointment, waiting for a diagnosis. He said to go on and make the Neurologist appointment, so I'll do that today. The fact that he has taken so long going over all the diary I gave him, plus his obvious quandary as to what is going on, leads me to think that a serious diagnosis is not jumping out at him as likely. That is what I'm going to assume, anyway.

The comical part of all this was trying to figure out a schedule to add in three more meds, taking into account all the restrictions on timing and eating and nearness to other meds that each one has. I finally wrote out today's schedule, and I'm taking one or more medicines today at 5AM, 6, 7:30, 9, 11, 12, 1:15, 3, 5, 6:30, and 8PM! And that doesn't count the Myralax that goes on my cereal or the glycerin suppositories I use! You should see the size of my pill boxes!! Oops, my timer just went off.... time to go take medicine LOL!

Well, I'm back. I just took the Sucralfate, a hog pill that I had trouble swallowing yesterday. Last night we cut it in half, but I still choked on it, because it's so dry going down. So, this morning I soaked the two halves in a tablespoon of water, and swallowed that. That was much easier, although I can still feel the dry scratchiness down my throat. That's one of my new stomach protector meds, so I have to take it, uncomfortable or not.

Each day is a new adventure with this PD, with some days being hopeful and others being miserable. Thank goodness I don't often get as down as I was Sunday night. I thank God for that!! And, I thank you for caring enough to say an encouraging word, too, as I surely need it.

Testing ... Testing ... This Is Only a Test

I thought I'd o a post without any back spacing or spellchcking, just to give you folks an idea of what my typing is like these days. This will also give me a benchmark as to the extent of my mind/finder coordiatniton at this time. so bear with me while you try to read my gobbledytook. LOL

Daddy an di both ahd a good night's sleep slast night!! so I'm much more rested to day that usual. We;re beginning to settle into something of a routine finally, alsthough we're still experimenting with ways to make the lift help us the most effiiently.

I did have to call the night service night efore last, because he was choking on his own spit in the bed about several hours after he went ot sleep. I tried moving the head of the bed up and down and turning him from side to dide, but nothing seemed to help. I think the nurse thought i was describing a death rattle when I first talke to her, but I assured her that I knew that sounded like. She said to wake hime up and see if that would help with stronger coughting. I let the bed flat, turned him onto this side, slapped him on the back the way cystic phibrosis patients done, and this huge glob of thick mucus finally came up. Surprisingly, he went right bakc to sleep, and slept well the rest of the night. I didn't thogh, as I was afraid it would happen again.

I seem to be going from one problem to another, as far as I'm concerned. Now it's my back hurting again. It's not the vertebrae, but the muschles of my upper back. That's from leaning across Daddy, even though we have the hospital bed. This is definitely from the Parkinson's, so I guess it's time to add the Requip to my meds again.

I can tell immediately when I make the se spelling mistakes and typing mistakes. At least I know it's wrong, but I take spellls of not being able to cooridante everything einvolved in acutally typing, And I really wa sa good typist, so it's not because I don't know how LOL!!

Well, of you've srubbled thorugh this you have some idea of the whats' involved in turning out a post the way they usually lool. It's the same with comments.

Did I say that Parkisons' is a terible disease? And I'm ant Stage One!!!!