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BOTH Surgeries NEXT WEEK!

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First Two Surgeries Did NOT Solve Sinus Issues

I’ve had two fairly routine surgeries in the last year that were supposed to resolve my long term sinus problems. But they did not. My ENT planned on doing a Balloon Sinuplasty on the Frontal Sinuses. He also planned to fix my Deviated Septum and clean out some polyps in the Maxillary Sinuses. He could NOT find the opening into the Frontal Sinuses, but took care of the rest of the planned procedures.

Answered Prayers!

I asked my ENT to try to find a doctor to open up the Frontal Sinuses who could coordinate with my already scheduled Blocked Tear Duct surgery – even if it meant waiting for a date they could both work in. So when I saw him a few weeks ago, he referred me to the Head of the Otolaryngoly Department at UAB. He scheduled an appointment for August 10. But the next week I had a call from the UAB doctor to move the appointment up to THIS week! That’s God at work, for sure!! I’ve been praying that this new specialist would be able to coordinate with the UAB Ophthalmologist, who was already scheduled to fix the tear duct. And praise be to God! They WILL be able to do both surgeries on the table with one anesthesia and one recovery! I am SO relieved!

I saw the Otolaryngologist who would do the surgery on my blocked sinuses YESTERDAY (Tuesday). The really unexpected part is that I have now been scheduled for surgery on this next MONDAY!! Talk about answered prayers!!

I have an abnormal new growth of infected bone (neo-osteogenesis) that has closed off my upper sinuses, which are completely filled with infected mucous. He still expects this to be Same Day Surgery, but it’s actually a serious surgery. He’s specializes in skull base surgeries. And this will take months to heal.

Steroids

I will be on strong corticosteroids for some time after the surgery – as I understand it, it’s to keep the swelling down so the mucous grafts will heal properly. The grafts will cover the exposed bone (where he’s cutting out the infected bone). I will also be on some kind of steroid sinus rinse for the rest of my life to keep the bone infection from flaring up again.

I do not handle steroids very well. The last time I took them my muscles got so weak I could barely walk. That’s definitely a mitochondrial issue. CORRECTION – I made an assumption that it was a MITO issue, but after doing some research online it appears there’s something called steroid induced diabetes. So it may be my un-diagnosed at that time Type II Diabetes that caused the weakness the last time I took strong steroids.

Anyway, these doctors are aware of that and will try to use as weak a dose as necessary. I have bought a new glucose testing kit, as he says the steroids will cause my insulin levels to rise. I haven’t had to worry about my Type II Diabetes in some years, as I am very careful to eat properly. I don’t even use meds to control it at this time. Praying that will continue to not be a problem.

So I’m very relieved I don’t have to wait for months to have a coordinated surgery – in fact I’m ecstatic!! Not so happy with the news about the steroids. I really would appreciate your prayers for me and for my hubby, who will not handle the surgery very well emotionally.

Removing the Mystery: Top 49 Blogs about Parkinson’s

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 4

We were notified today that our blog has been included in what appears to be a very good list of blogs and news sites about Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders, from not only the patient’s perspective, but also from caregivers and physicians.

A lot of these blogs and resources are already listed on my sidebar here, and I will be adding some more, I’m sure, as I have time to check them all out.

It feels good to be validated for what I’ve tried to accomplish here over the years – from when I was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, to the change in diagnosis to Essential Myoclonus, and then the addition of Type II Diabetes and being a care giver to the mix. During that time I’ve tried to write honestly about my emotional state and the problems I’ve had with side effects from the medications and my symptoms.

I want to say a sincere thank you to those of you who have encouraged me along the way with your comments and prayers.

I’m Using a NEW Search Box

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I’ve been very unsatisfied with Blogger’s Search Box for a long time, but hadn’t found anything free that worked any better. I can say with relief that I think I’ve found something that will help you find what you want to read about.

You can now search for Parkinson’s and actually find all my posts concerning this important part of our site, rather than just the more recent ones. You might also be interested in our posts about diabetes, improving our diet and losing weight, exercising, digestive and elimination difficulties, brain fog, or Essential Myoclonus, the Movement Disorder I am currently being treated for. You will find posts dealing with our family’s roles as caregivers, too. Along the way there are all kinds of posts dealing with achieving the best Quality of Life, which is very important to me, and my strong belief that God will see us through whatever we have to face in this life.

In case you have a site that could use a better search box, I’m using http://www.freefind.com/.

PRAY for HOPE – a Little Girl Living with LEUKODYSTROPHY – A Degenerative Neurological Disorder

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This is a copy of parts of a recent post on our Plush Memories Lost Toys Search Service.

Please take the time to read about Hope, who has a degenerative neurological disorder called Leukodystrophy and pray for Hope and give this family your prayers and encouragement.

Dear Rosemary,

This email is long overdue — The Summer has kept me and my 17 month old twins very busy. I wanted to give you an update on Charlotte’s blanky… This wonderful mother was kind enough to send the blanky for Charlotte (at no cost) as long as I said a prayer for her daughter, Hope.

I have made a donation in Hope’s name and continue to keep her in my prayers…

Please post this great story of “HOPE” (a pun very intended)for those praying for Lost Lovies AND this beautiful little girl — WHO NEEDS ALL OF OUR PRAYERS!!!!

Natalie

As Corrie says in the July 2nd post to her journal, “We are excited to make use of all the services they have, but it’s still hard to say that our 6 year old will be in Hospice.”

You can donate in Hope’s honor on the journal website, helping Caring Bridge provide the free journal space for families like Hope’s. Or you can donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Detroit that they use when she has extended tests, therapy, etc.

Regardless of any monetary donation you might consider, Corrie’s whole family, and especially Hope, need your PRAYERS.

Physical Therapy Continues

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 6

I’ve been to a couple of PT sessions now, but all they have done so far is do the ultrasound and the TENS. My neck still gets very painful, if I have to sit for any length of time unsupported, such as at meals and at church, but already it is more flexible than it was. I see them today, Wednesday, and Friday. We went out last Friday for our Date Day after I finished the session, so I guess that’s the way we will do it for awhile.

I goofed on my medicines last week and put the Sinemet and Lodosyn in the boxes, as usual. That’s what my Neurologist told me to stop taking, and I forgot! No harm, really. But I made a big time bad mistake when I filled them this time. I put 4 diuretic pills in, where it should have been the colon relaxer pills!! I didn’t catch it until that night, when I take the last Bentyl by itself. That’s when I realized it was the wrong color pill. Makes me so mad at myself when I mess up like that. I’m just thankful I didn’t get into trouble with all that diuretic in me!!!

I started this post on Monday, but the interview I did last week about our Plush Memories Lost Toy Search Service was included in an msnbc.com article that published yesterday. So, I spent most of the day reading requests from families who are looking for lost lovies, and writing everyone to tell them about being featured in the article. I was on cloud nine all day long. We were able to connect two of our searchers with families who had the toy they needed, and were willing to give or sell it to them.

I got mixed up on the timing for my meds again, but not too badly this time. It’s just aggravating that it happens at all. I think it’s a Freud thing going on – I’m just sick and tired of all these meds, no matter how much I know I need them.

I’m tired today, too, because I stopped using the TAP for a few days, thinking that would help my neck to settle down. Of course that also means I’m not sleeping as many hours. I figure do without it one week, and if that is going to help, that would be long enough to see a difference. I will use the TAP again this weekend, or maybe next Monday, one way or the other.

The excitement of yesterday has calmed down now, but I am trying to stay upbeat, hurting neck or not.

Less Computer Time = Getting other things done!

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 15

Well, I have pretty much stuck to my intention to stay away from places where PWP are describing their symptoms. I have visited the PLM site a few times, and even made a few comments, but I have been cautious about the type of posts I opened, to avoid reading about anything tremor related. I have not done any research on PD, either, other than to try to find a correlation between heavy steroid use with Parkinson’s. This was not for my benefit, but for one of my readers, who asked some interesting questions.

My neck continues to be very stiff and painful, but I can put up with it, knowing I will be getting help next week when I start Physical Therapy.

I am pretty much caught up with posting requests for help on the Plush Memories Lost Toys Search Service, and we are over the Christmas rush on eBay. I still need to put a new post on our Yesterday’s Memories blog, and there is always work to do on the BLOG VILLAGE TopList that I run.

So, I have been getting some much needed house clutter cleaning done, but there is plenty more that needs to be done. I would like to have the house straight for the New Year. At least it can start that way LOL.

We did have a great Christmas, seeing all of our family all at once, and enjoying being with our grandchildren. It looks like we actually managed to buy them some things they will enjoy, and that’s not easy to do when they hit those preteen and teen years. They all have birthdays right after Christmas, so we will be seeing them again real soon, too.

Hubby gave me a blender for Christmas, so now I can learn how to make Raw Foods Smoothies, something I have been wanting to try for some time now. Jackie, from The Vegan Diet, clued me into The Raw Food Coach, and since we eat a lot of raw foods, anyway, I have been learning as much as I can about what foods are the best for me. I have been doing a lot of research on the high anti-oxidant Super Foods, and we are gradually changing our diet to include lots of them daily.

We have had a lot of fun at our house of late with trying to get our very spoiled (neurotic) inside cat to accept our two outside cats as occasional inside visitors. They are too young to leave outside all night when it is freezing, so we bought a pet cage for them. They don’t mind being in it at all, which surprised us, but it sure makes going out of town easier. We keep our inside cat in the hall bathroom when we are gone, and now we can keep the outside cats protected, too. Our only problem is that Miss Queen Fluffy doesn’t like having them inside. There have been quite a few fights between Fluffy and Mr. Salt. Miss Pepper stays out of the rough stuff, as she has some kind of nerve damage to one of her hind legs. She is the main reason we decided to bring them in on cold nights and when we are out of town. Fluffy surprised us last night and behaved the whole time they were in the house. Maybe she’s finally adjusting to them, I hope.

One of my anonymous readers has given me a clue as to what my diagnosis might be, if it’s not Parkinson’s. So, I have started doing some research on Dystonia. Also, there was a new post today on PLM discussing Ataxia, and that sounds familiar, too. I already feel better, knowing that there are other conditions that my symptoms seem to fit. It makes me feel less like this is all going to turn out to be psychosomatic. I can’t bear the thought that my body has been going through all this due to an emotional problem. With other possibilities in sight, I am in a much better frame of mind than I was yesterday, thank goodness. So, Marion, the glass is looking more and more like it’s half full, again.

As always, I appreciate your prayers and concern, and love to hear from you, even if it’s just to say HI!

Back on the PD Meds

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I considered not going back on the meds, but we will be out of town for Christmas, and it didn’t seem prudent to have even a slight possibility of ending up in a strange ER. So I stuck with the original plan, and went back on the full PD regimin yesterday afternoon.

It was very interesting to see what my right foot did last night when I got ready to go to sleep in my recliner. It must mean something, and I wish I had a video of it to show my doctors.

The toes and ball of my foot cramp sometimes very painfully, and no amount of pressure will make it stop. Hubby will get up and stand in front of my recliner, and I will push my foot into his thigh, which normally stops the cramp pretty well. But last night, each time he released the pressure, the cramp started again. At one point, when I thought it had quit, I moved my leg away from the pressure, and my foot went into this exaggerated flopping back and forth, up and down, and sideways. I had no control over it at all. It didn’t hurt, and it looked so funny that I started laughing. Hubby thought I was doing it on purpose, and was surprised when I told him I wasn’t. You should have seen the look on his face. Then, in an attempt to stop it, I pressed my foot into the recliner. At that point, my knee started bobbing up and down, as if to say, “You can’t stop ME!” It was so funny that both of us ended up having a great big laugh out of it all. And then, just as suddenly as it had started – it stopped all on its own.

So again, I ask myself – if not Parkinson’s – then what in the world could make my body act like that????? The only explanation that makes any sense to me is that this is all psychosomatic, and there is nothing really wrong with me at all. No, I don’t think I am going crazy, but the mind can play terrible tricks on the body. Just think about the Stigmata – that someone’s palms could bleed. I know there is such a thing as hysterical paralysis, so I don’t put anything past what my mind could be doing to control my body. Yes, I spent the last 10 years or so under great stress, taking care of parents and our older daughter. And, our daughter was hospitalized with, of all things, Peripheral Neuropathy! Not that my symptoms look like she did, but it does seem odd that I would be diagnosed with a neurological disorder not too many months after taking care of her.

I’ve had this conversation with myself before, about this whole thing possibly being psychosomatic, way back in August of 2006. And here I am, a year and a half later, still wondering.

Said Goodbye to my Sleep Disorder Doctor

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I had my last appointment for a long time with my Sleep Disorder doctor yesterday. I took the TAP dental appliance with me, as I figured he would be interested in seeing the real thing, rather than just reading about it and seeing pictures. He was very pleased that I had brought it, and asked me lots of questions about how it worked for me. We both agreed that I did not need to see him again unless my insomnia returned. It’s strange how first impressions can be so very far from the truth. Neither I, nor my DH, were very impressed with him on my first visit to him, but every time I have seen him since, I have come to admire him and appreciate him more and more. I am glad I didn’t let that first impression spoil a really wonderful doctor/patient friendship.

He’s just next door to my Neurologist’s office, so I may poke my head in from time to time just to say Hi!

Today, I see my Neurologist. This should be the appointment where dosages and even medications get changed. I am anxious to get rid of some of the symptoms that have reared their ugly head in the last few months. But I wouldn’t be upset if he lowered the number of pills I am taking a day, either. I am on some low doses of some of these meds, and it may be that he will up the strength of some of them.

I want to ask him about some of the pills that I have been reading about for the last few months. I am interested in how he feels about mucuna pruriens – a natural form of levadopa for one, and Modafinil – a narcolepsy med that supposedly improves fatigue for Parkies – for another. This will be the first time I have approached him about off label and Ayurvedic medicine, so I don’t know what to expect from him. Will it offend him that I, as his patient, am suggesting nonstandard treatments? Will he be dismissive, or open to suggestions?

I also need to talk to him about having the epidurals on my neck. I pray he will be helpful with that decision, as I am really concerned worried scared about having them, after the poison ivy episode.

Will my body cooperate and show off all my new symptoms for him, or will it be like taking a car to the repair shop and having it run perfectly for the mechanic, when it was sputtering at the house? Will he give me useful information and have an open mind about some alternative treatments, or dismiss them as foolishness? Will he help me know what to do about my neck? All these questions are running through my head, and have been for some time. So, I go to this appointment with a high level of apprehension.

No Such Thing as Status Quo with Me

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 4

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with our whole family. Our older daughter and her hubby both love to cook. So they went overboard with the food, but it was important to them, as their first big family meal in their new home. I could tell she was getting all stressed, which is not good for her at all, but I sure was glad I didn’t have to have them all at my house. Don’t get me wrong, I love being around all of them… but I get way too panicky at the thought of having that big a group all at once.

Plus now, my house is not clean enough for me to feel comfortable entertaining. I have started trying to unclutter some parts of the house, but it took it several years to get in this mess, and it’s not going to be clean overnight. Hubby says to just ignore it …. something he seems to be able to do quite well. It bothers me, though. Every time I try to tackle it, I get worn out before I’ve made a dent! LOL

Anyway, I did have an appointment with my Gastroenterologist this week. I am still having lots of belching and gas, although the elimination difficulties have improved considerably since he put me on the Bentyl. I had read some things on the Internet that made me ask about the Metamucil and Glycolax, as far as were they contributing to the gas problem. I gave him the printout showing the times I was taking my meds, thinking he might see something that I needed to change. He was flabberghasted. He said he had no idea I was taking the Metamucil and Glycolax in the morning – that I should be taking them at night!

He also said the loud belches were from swallowing air. I told him I knew I did that when I took my meds with a big gulp, because I had trouble swallowing them. He suggested I take them in applesauce, instead of water. And …. it works! I do have a little trouble getting the swallow to come, though, thanks to my uncooperative tongue.

My tongue has started some kind of tic. I’m lip licking, or lip sucking, or moving my tongue around, rubbing against my teeth almost constantly now. I mentioned this new quirk in the PLM forum, and one of the Parkies said she had been rubbing the back of her dentures with her tongue for 14 years! She’s actually worn a hole in the back side of two of her teeth!

Speaking of the TAP, I am continuing to get 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sleep each night. My alarm watch is waking me up now to start my meds at 5:00AM. If I could just stay awake later at night, I would change the time of the first meds. But it’s all I can do most nights to stay awake until 9. I’m toying with the idea of taking a short afternoon nap, but I will wait awhile longer before I try that, to be sure I have the sleep habit well established.

I am out of the muscle relaxer meds now, but they really didn’t help a whole lot to ease the soreness and stiffness in my neck. So I’ll be calling my Orthopedist this next week.

I’m still having a lot more tremors than I had before my trip to the ER. The tremor in my right hand is unpredictable, but strikes often and hard. If I stand still for even a few moments, my right leg starts a little dance all by itself, making my whole body bounce, and sometimes now it starts up even when I am sitting down. That was only happening at church before, where I was blaming it on being cold and the seat being uncomfortable. Now it’s pretty much a given that if I’m standing, I’m dancing, and if I’m the least bit tired or upset, I’m jiggling as I sit. And walking still feels like I’m on Jello. I’m using the cane all the time when we go somewhere now, except for church. I’m still stubbornly holding out on that, as it puts too much attention on me.

I am going to have to keep track of the times of the day that all these tremors start and stop, so I can tell if it has anything to do with my meds wearing off.

So today, I can give my sleep problems an A, elimination difficulties a B-, stiff and sore neck a D, and tremors a D.

Impressions are Made

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 6

I went on a feverish research marathon on the internet night before last, and printed out a bunch of pages of different dental appliances for sleep apnea. I also found several pages explaining exactly how to talk to my Blue Cross insurance people in order to have a fighting chance of getting this thing covered by my medical insurance. This sort of appliance does not fall under dental, as it really has nothing at all to do with the teeth. I printed a list of possible side effects, too, just in case I had any problems. Troubles are always easier to cope with for me, if I know I’m not the only one having them.

So, armed with all my paperwork, I went to my own dentist yesterday and had a long talk with him. I really like him, and have been going to him for many years. In fact, he has crowned almost every tooth in my head! LOL That’s just as well, too, as this appliance would not work if my teeth were not strong and in good condition. But, I digress. I was pleased with what he told me about how he did this process, but even more pleased when he brought my very own hygienist in to talk to me. It seems that she uses the very appliance that he was recommending! She explained that she could move her mouth around with it on, and that was something I was particularly concerned about.

She also told me about the exercises you have to do each morning when you take it out. If you don’t do that, you will pull your bite all out of alignment, not to mention have a lot of jaw pain. That’s not a problem, as I have to “exercise” my face muscles every day anyway, as part of my Parkinson’s exercises. These are designed to forestall the mask look of PWP. We lose the ability to use the fine muscles that control facial expression, and these exercises are supposed to prevent that. I don’t know if they will, but I intend to try, anyway. So, adding in some jaw and mouth exercises will be easy enough.

So, I did it. I had the impressions made and paid out 1,000 big bucks right there on the spot. That’s not cheap, by any means, and it certainly means I’d better be right about this one!! If you thought I was stubborn about trying to get used to the CPAP, just wait and see how stubborn I can be with that much of my own money invested in it! LOL I really feel like this is something I need to solve the insomnia and resultant brain fog I deal with every day now.

Of course, I will do everything I can to get reimbursed by my insurance company, but I had already decided I would do it, covered or not. I did call the insurance company yesterday to find out what forms I needed to get this approved, and then my Sleep Disorder doctor’s office to ask them to get Dr. A to fill them out. So I’ve started the ball rolling, anyway. I made sure I got the medical code for this appliance from the dentist’s office, too, so I could use that in my argument for coverage, if needed. I would not have known to do any of this if it hadn’t been for a dentist somewhere in California, of all places, who had a whole page explaining exactly what to do to get this appliance covered. Ain’t the internet great?

While I’m waiting the three weeks it will take to get this in, I’ll work to get the skin around my mouth back in good shape. Those masks have really done a number on my Acne Rosacea, with dry irritated patches all along my mouth on both sides down to my chin and across. My skin usually takes awhile to heal, once I get this irritated. I quit wearing makeup years ago, because everything broke me out, and I have to be very careful about any soaps or medicines I use on my face. That alone made me a poor candidate for cpap. Adding in the degenerated disks, which required that I be able to move around in my sleep, and I hope I can make a good case that using this “custom fabricated device” is a “medical necessity,” as the insurance company requires. Both of those conditions are documented in my medical records, so I think they have a fight on their hands if they try to deny this claim. I’m loaded for bear, and ready to take them on, but, hopefully, they will agree and I won’t need to fight them. I really don’t need that extra stress. But, what will be, will be.

Getting rid of the cpap frustration and looking forward to getting the dental appliance has improved my mood considerably, so I remain positive that everything will work out for the best. I do covet your prayers and good thoughts that I will find adjusting to the mouth piece to be an easy transition.

The device I’m getting is called a TAP, which stands for Thornton Adjustable Positioner, and you can read all about it here and here, if you’re interested.