tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22572272953689041892008-07-03T19:38:22.816-05:00Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comBlogger256125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-525595015347360382008-06-28T10:56:00.004-05:002008-06-28T11:16:44.771-05:00

I hesitated to start taking more of the Primidone for the very first time on our Date Day, just in case it left me loopy, but I decided to take a chance. It was just this sort of extra exercise that made the Primidone wear off faster in the afternoon. I had no problem with it at all. Our very first Estate Sale involved a long walk up a steep driveway to get to the house, and yet I was still

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-18680459881034759242008-06-26T15:59:00.004-05:002008-06-26T16:44:26.065-05:00

I finally got to talk to a nurse on Dr. Watt's staff today, and I now have an official diagnosis that I can take to insurance companies. I do not have Parkinson's, nor anything in the Parkinson's Family. I have what is called Essential Myoclonus. It is not a progressive disease, which is the best news of all. They do not know what causes it, but the Primidone is doing a remarkable job of

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-4581599088606931562008-06-14T10:08:00.002-05:002008-06-14T10:26:57.526-05:00

I really am doing great, and it's wonderful to be able to say that. Some days I don't have any abnormal movements at all, and on others I have only tolerable ones. I have been on cloud nine now for a couple of weeks, and it looks like I'm here to stay. I have noticed that as I become more active and expend more muscle effort that the medicine wears off sooner in the evenings. The Movement

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-87463708630514652512008-06-06T16:26:00.004-05:002008-06-06T17:14:01.830-05:00

I got up earlier than usual this morning, as I normally do on Fridays, so I can map out a route for us to use to go on our Estate Sale, garage sale, thrift store hunt. Even though it was 4:30AM, my mouth was already twitching slightly. The rest of me was still, though, so it's not really that I am complaining - just documenting. We did make some good purchases, and we always enjoy each other's

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-54265680481864679952008-06-05T10:10:00.003-05:002008-06-05T10:36:43.416-05:00

I moved the Primidone dose last night to eight instead of seven, in an effort to maximize the amount I would have in my bloodstream during the day. It pretty much wore off by about 6:00 last night, so that's not bad at all. I plan to take it tonight at 9:00PM. I took the morning dose at 7:00AM and have not had any mouth twitching so far. My gait is slow but steady, my hand and foot are not

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-13584361430048083522008-06-04T09:07:00.005-05:002008-06-04T09:55:23.388-05:00

I've been trying to get to this post for several days now, and other things just kept getting in the way. Also, it looks like I have good news, and I didn't want to celebrate too soon. I finally got in touch with Dr. Watts' UAB Neurology team, and he sent in a prescription for Primidone on Friday a week ago. I took my first dose Friday night, and was pretty well looped all day Saturday, and

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-66764972646942386972008-05-28T06:33:00.004-05:002008-05-28T06:57:09.967-05:00

Saturday was a fairly good day, but Sunday was not good at all. By the time Sunday School was over, I was twitching and jerking pretty badly. The more my mouth jerks when I am in public, the more stress and self consciousness I feel, which just feeds more jerking. The chewing gum helps up to a point, but it does not stop it, plus my jaw gets tired after awhile from the chewing. My walking

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-78256559711202531952008-05-24T12:28:00.004-05:002008-05-24T14:01:35.361-05:00

I am definitely less depressed since gradually cutting the dose and frequency of the Clonazepam, but it has not been very predictable. Thursday I went until sometime after 5:00PM without any facial tics at all, and then spent the whole evening jerking like crazy. when I'm like that, my face contorts, my left shoulder jerks forward, and my foot dances a jig uncontrollably. I was on a half pill

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-54790814904787614312008-05-21T11:37:00.005-05:002008-05-21T13:09:21.258-05:00

I'm down to a half tablet at night now, starting today. I will stay on that for three days, and then I will be through with it. I sense the depression passing somewhat, but certainly not all of it. I was depressed before they put me on it, just not as much. I've been trying to work off as much of my tension and fears in the yard the last few days. I've spread the rich composted "dirt" and

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-79668995282701891652008-05-18T14:30:00.004-05:002008-05-18T15:16:40.919-05:00

OK, first of all the plus side of the meeting we had with Dr. Watt's team this week. My fancy MRI and EEG did not show anything particularly abnormal, and certainly nothing that I need to be worried about. The ultra strong MRI did show signs of several Transient Ischemic Attacks, or TIA, what many people call little strokes. The doctor said they were normal "for my age." (I hate to think I've

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-88953942109580260632008-05-08T05:28:00.005-05:002008-05-08T06:01:17.134-05:00

I am so counting the days until my appointment next week! The depression level I am feeling is so pervasive that I am not fit to be around right now. Hubby is doing what he can to leave me alone and not trigger another crying spell. Or worse, make me mad. We had an actual verbal fight last week, which is most unusual for us. I knew when I worked in the basement while he was gone that he would be

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-78030981483000397532008-04-30T20:56:00.006-05:002008-04-30T21:36:30.791-05:00

I had the high powered MRI today. Up until a few years ago it was only used in research facilities, but now it is being used for clinical diagnoses. It uses a much stronger magnet than a regular MRI, which means it gets a much finer image of the brain. That's the good part. The bad part is that it is horribly loud. Even with the headset on to muffle it, I found the high pitched sounds at the

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-35270035556432606202008-04-21T10:38:00.004-05:002008-04-21T11:30:58.343-05:00

I had an EEG back when my own Neuro was trying to decide what was wrong with me, so I knew what to expect. Well, I thought I knew what to expect. My "good" left foot has been extremely painful and difficult to walk on for the last few days. At first I blamed it on all the walking we did at the cemetery in my Sketchers, which I now use as Sunday shoes. But I don't think that was the culprit. I

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-57760446721779261442008-04-17T08:44:00.002-05:002008-04-17T09:25:14.616-05:00

I had my second EEG test yesterday, but my reactions to it were considerably different from the one I had two years ago. Back then, my Neurologist was trying to decide if I had Parkinson's or not. My only symptom at that time was a very labored, slow walk, that he called Bradykinesia. I did not have any problems with the EEG test at all. Things have changed a good bit since then. Now I have lots

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-59593670969697085482008-04-05T07:37:00.005-05:002008-04-05T09:10:27.701-05:00

Well, we went Thursday to see Dr. Watts, the head of Neurology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, who has a great reputation as a Movement Disorder Specialist. We were both very impressed with how personable he is. One of the other doctors on his staff did all of the preliminary questioning and testing. He was very easy to be with, too. Most of the tests were ones I have been asked to

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-8226200994190856752008-03-26T18:36:00.005-05:002008-03-26T19:38:48.575-05:00

Well, the income tax forms appear to be ready, and I have turned over the administration of my TopList to a really great Villager, aka CyberCelt, so those two weighty items aren't bearing down quite as much these days. We can't mail the tax forms yet, because now we have to figure out the forms for the Estate. That scares me just thinking about it. As for BLOG VILLAGE, I'm still finding various

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-73077374135805904732008-03-15T11:55:00.007-05:002008-03-15T12:49:22.331-05:00

I saw the Physiatrist yesterday. He's the doctor who had to review my records before he would agree to even see me. As it turns out, oddly enough, he is the person who did my original EMG and Nerve Velocity Tests. I was extremely pleased that he did a complete checkup, rather than just asking about my neck. He went through a complete neurological exam, but didn't venture much as to what he

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-58293631491801891882008-03-03T18:25:00.002-06:002008-03-03T18:34:12.281-06:00

I'm glad to have those tests behind me, as they are anything but comfortable! I had forgotten that the Velocity Test hurt when the electric current went through the sticky pads, but it does. I was right, though, that the discomfort from both tests is basically gone as soon as the test is over. I had some residual crampy feeling, not really pain, in my back, but it's OK now. Since I have back

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-1178931209000943092008-03-01T07:39:00.005-06:002008-03-01T14:28:43.993-06:00

I see the MDS specialist the first week of April, so it seemed like a good idea to ask for a Neuropathy test before I see him. When I first saw my Neurologist, it was at the suggestion of my Orthopedist, who had concluded that my super labored walking was not caused by lumbar disk pressure. He sent me to Lakeshore to have the Nerve Conduction Velocity Test, which uses patches like those they

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-48270502605670210042008-02-22T19:05:00.004-06:002008-02-22T20:03:09.966-06:00

We went on our usual Date Day today and visited three Estate Sales. Two were complete duds, but the last one was fun. It was an old country house chock full of a lifetime of collecting all kinds of odds and ends. We both enjoyed ourselves there, and then we stopped by our usual Thrift Store haunts in that area and found enough plush lovies to more than make the day break even. It's fun having a

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-31287640285805149292008-02-17T08:25:00.004-06:002008-02-17T14:12:07.851-06:00

I've been off all PD meds now since Jan. 25, and not doing a whole lot differently now than I was when I was on the meds. That has several possible meanings, so it really doesn't tell me much. It could mean that I don't have PD. It could mean that I have PD, and I'm one of the people who is not helped by the usual or any meds. It could mean that these symptoms are related to lumbar and cervical

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-51036909873900948692008-02-06T12:18:00.000-06:002008-02-06T12:46:19.959-06:00

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

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-1674063425918441092008-02-03T18:46:00.000-06:002008-02-03T20:43:00.766-06:00

I'm still off the PD meds, and I just updated my Profile on PLM. My PDRS score, which is a way of quantifying symptoms, is better than it was a month ago. Of course it's still a very crude way to put a score on something that really can't be scored. If you've ever had to tell a nurse or doctor how you rate your pain on a 1 to 10 scale, then you know what I mean. Church is still hard on me, as

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-77264002468657768702008-02-01T19:09:00.000-06:002008-02-01T19:47:04.513-06:00

OK folks, I've been off of all my Parkinson's meds for exactly a week now. I am definitely having more facial tics, but not enough to be the sole reason that I would go back on the meds. Walking is perhaps a little slower and more labored, but nothing like it was back when I was originally diagnosed. So, it remains to be seen just how much this changes this next week. My hand and legs tremors are

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257227295368904189.post-37730753406642640852008-01-30T05:32:00.000-06:002008-01-30T05:57:20.917-06:00

Well, I went to the Dermatologist Monday, and other than a small flareup of my Acne Rosacea, he didn't find anything worrisome. He did say I had some sun damage on my forearms ... But I've had almost 65 years to accumulate that damage, so it's not really surprising. I did the sunbathing stuff in high school and college, but that's just about it. I did have some pretty bad sunburns during that

Dirty Butterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10226054665586033464noreply@blogger.com