Tag Archives: Neurologist

Re-Testing Peripheral Neuropathy Monday

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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 stick on the chest to check for heart problems. They pass an electric current and check to see how long it takes the message to register between the patches. It’s uncomfortable at the time, but not really too bad. The other test is called Electromyography. That’s the one where they poke electrodes the size of needles in your muscles, and it is supposed to show how well the muscles respond when the nerve is stimulated. That test is not at all comfortable. I actually had little pin prick size blood spots all over my legs when that one was over.

Anyway, the results showed definite Axonal Peripheral Neuropathy, mostly in my right leg. Because I was having trouble walking, and the test order came as a result of my Ortho dealing with my back and legs, he did not order the test to be done on my arms as well.

My Neuro was not at all happy that he did not have results for my arms as well as my legs, but he proceeded with the info he had, as my insurance would not likely have paid for a repeat test so soon.

So, I talked to his nurse a couple of days ago, and I’m scheduled to have the complete PN test battery Monday, at my “suggestion” – translate that as strong urging. This test is very uncomfortable, but it seems to me I need to get any tests done now, not wait and “waste” the visit with this very hard to see Head of Neurology at UAB.

I’m still experimenting with any variables I can think of. so, for the last four days I have not used the TAP dental device, which is to control my mild Sleep Apnea. The mouth tics started about the same time I started using the TAP, and I’m trying to be sure that this off and on again mouth twitching I’ve been doing is not being aggravated by the mouthpiece. Surprisingly, I’m still sleeping 7 or 8 hours a night, even without it. I think it did break me of the mouth breathing habit, which may be the cause of the relaxed jaw that was allowing my throat to close up during sleep.

I have noticed a definite correlation between the mouth twitches or tics and how stressed or tired I am. So they get worse as the day goes on. If I stop to think about them, I can stop them momentarily, but it’s as if my mouth is determined to move, no matter what I do, and it soon starts back up again.

I figure I’ll make sure Monday that there aren’t any other tests I should have done, or repeat, before seeing Dr. Watts at UAB. I have to call his office to change my insurance information to show that Medicare is my Primary insurance now, as this is the month I turn 65. So I will talk to his nurse and see if they suggest any other tests. I have learned to be proactive in such situations. It amazes me that doctor’s offices don’t initiate this kind of pre-visit planning, but they don’t.

By way of contrast, when we made an appointment with a financial counselor to help us with investing my inheritance, we received a huge packet of papers to fill out and a long list of documents to bring with us for our first meeting. That’s the way it should be with doctors, in my opinion.

So, I will do what I can to document everything and have everything ready for this crucial visit. I can’t even talk to someone about Long Term Care insurance, or anything insurance related, until I have a diagnosis. No insurance company in their right mind would take me on as a customer right now.

Tax Time is looming, and that’s one thing I am dreading doing, but I can’t put it off much longer. Oh, did you know that people who file an extension will NOT receive this stimulus package $300 thingy they all keep talking about? I have always filed on time, but I know some people habitually delay it, and might need to know that.

I continue to work to get our inventory of plush lovies online, and we have managed to help several families get replacements for lost toys lately, which is extremely satisfying. I’m also helping to beta test a new Mood community on Patients Like Me, and finding the charting of my own moods to be interesting.

I may be twitching, but I am in a good mood today, and that’s a great way to end this post.

Life Goes ON

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 4

My Physical Therapy office called yesterday, and the appointment is set for Jan.2, so that’s taken care of. I have been scouring the Internet, looking for some indication of the meaning of some of the neurological tests my Neuro did on me in his office the other day, but still not having any luck. I think I will end up calling his nurse, and see if she can help me understand what happened. We were both just in shock, I think, in his office, and I didn’t ask enough questions. Now I could kick myself for not asking dozens!!

Also, I am wondering if I should try to wean myself off of the meds he left me on, before I see the MDS in April. And I also need to ask if there are any tests that my Neuro should be scheduling before then, too. When I first went to Dr. S, he was less than pleased to see that the Peripheral Neuropathy tests I had already had were only on my legs. They did not test my arms. So it would seem logical to me to have that workup done again, but more thoroughly, sometime close to my appointment in April. Otherwise, I can just see it now. I’ll go in and talk to this fellow, walk, and get poked and prodded, and then he will order a bunch of tests, and I won’t see him again for another 4 months. This NOT KNOWING could last the better part of a year, if that’s the way it plays out.

I have been blessed with so many wonderful net friends showing their support and concern over all these mixed up feelings I am having. It’s humbling to know that all of you are out there, praying for me. With all that love coming my way, and God’s help, I am already beginning to ease out of the horrible funk this news put me in. I can choose to believe I have something worse than PD, or not. I choose NOT, doggonit!!

So, another Friday has rolled around. It feels a little different, with this uncertainty surrounding us, but we will find something enjoyable to do today, and life will go on. Our Christmas stocking gift hunt is finally ended, and it’s time to wrap the presents for the grandkids, and our children, too. I haven’t looked yet to see if there are any Estate Sales today, but I kind of doubt it. Who knows, we might go see another movie.

We enjoyed “Perfect Holiday” last week, as a light, entertaining, feel good movie, regardless of what the critics had to say about it. And we’ll probably end up seeing “Legion” today, even though the critics have panned it, too. Not every movie has to be Academy Award quality to be enjoyed, right? Although I am a little surprised that Will Smith allowed himself to be in a movie that was less than box office hit quality. From what I’ve read, it’s the Zombies that are so poorly done, not his performance. And there are some flaws with the premise of the story, too, which is what makes Science Fiction work as a genre. Once you have decided to “believe” in a certain situation, the rest of the story must stay true to that premise. From what the critics say, this one does not, and that’s a pity. But, flaws and all, I am sure I will enjoy it, as I really like his acting, and I am a Science Fiction buff from way back.

So our lives move along, and I will try to let go of these nagging thoughts, and look on the bright side of it all. I look forward to spending time with our family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and not think beyond that for now. Here’s wishing you all a very happy Christmas time with your families, too!

This is a Hard Post to Write

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 11

I saw my Neurologist yesterday, and it turns out I did have good reason to be apprehensive about the appointment.

First of all, he agreed that I did not have any business having the epidurals on my cervical vertebrae. So, I called my Orthopedist to let them know that they could schedule the Physical Therapy, but not the epidurals. They called back later, and have already faxed the prescription to the PT I used last time, which is close to home. So, hopefully, I will be getting some relief from the neck pain and stiffness soon. Holidays, of course, will be in the way of a regular schedule, so who knows when I will actually start the sessions. It could easily be the beginning of next year.

He also took me off of the Levadopa/Carbidopa plus Lodosyn meds that the ER doc had added to my treatment, since it didn’t seem to be helping much at all. Taking too much of these meds can cause dyskinesia, which is involuntary movements. That may be why I had such an odd tremor develop of late, plus all the facial and tongue tics I have been experiencing.

But the news from the exam that has me so upset right now is that he is no longer sure I have Parkinson’s. He watched me walk, and I was so nervous by then that he got to see me at my worst. Both legs bobbing up and down like I was trying to walk across the floor of one of those carnival blow up bounce machines, and having to hold out my arms to the sides to keep my balance. Turning around and coming back towards him was just as bad. He had me take off my socks and shoes, and he did all the usual hitting with the hammer. He scraped the bottom of each foot, and also suddenly pushed both feet straight up several times, in a slapping kind of motion.

I have had the foot scrape thing done many times before, and I know what that was testing me for – the Babinski effect. That’s a test I failed some years ago when I was seeing a different Neurologist for migraine headaches. As far as I know I have not failed it since then. It has to do with the way your toes curl or straighten out when a hard object is scraped from the heel towards the toes. The normal reflex is to curl the toes inward. If the toes spread out, with the big toe stretching upward, it’s a sign of a lower extremity nerve problem. I don’t know if I passed it this time or not. He didn’t say, and I was too upset to ask. I have tried to look up what the sudden slapping of my feet upward meant, as I have never had that done to me before, but I haven’t been able to come up with the right search terms yet to find out what that was all about. He did move my arms around, while I kept them relaxed, and said he did not feel any cog wheeling. That’s something he would expect to find if I had Parkinson’s, and he has said in the past that he did feel it. It has something to do with the tremors, but that’s about all I know about cog wheeling.

They have made an appointment for me with the Chair of the Neurology Department at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He is the Movement Disorder Specialist in this area, and is supposed to be my best chance of finding out what is wrong with me. Parkinson’s effects people in so many different ways, it may yet turn out to be the PD that my Neuro had initially diagnosed.

But for now, he has listed my diagnosis as the Peripheral Neuropathy plus Gait Debility. I’m back to that “not knowing” stage, and it is extremely upsetting for me, and for my dear sweet hubby. Of course, as you might expect with the chair of the department, I can’t get an appointment until the end of April. That’s going to be a long, long wait that is not going to be easy.

I felt such relief when my Neuro put a name to what was happening to me – even if it was that I had Parkinson’s. Now I am in limbo again, and I hate it.

Hubby has asked that I stop reading and researching about Parkinson’s for awhile, just to be sure that I have not been subconsciously absorbing the symptoms that I was reading about. That’s a fair request, so I have said a temporary goodbye to my Parkie friends on PatientsLikeMe, and will not be doing any PD research for awhile. I am going to continue to try to find out more about Peripheral Neuropathy, though, because there is no doubt that I have that. Unlike Parkinson’s, there are definitive tests for PN, which I most definitely have.

I don’t know how to adequately explain how I am feeling about all this right now. It’s almost as if I found out I was adopted, or something like that. It’s like my identity has been ripped to shreds, if that makes sense. I have developed some really close friendships with some wonderful PWP over the last year. Now, with one sentence, my Neuro has put the nature of that relationship in limbo.

This NOT KNOWING stage I am in again is very hard to deal with. I am vacillating between being scared of something worse than Parkinson’s, and being relieved that it could be something less progressive in nature than PD.

God is forever trying to teach me patience, and reliance on Him, rather than my own abilities. Looks like He is working on that big time right now. We haven’t actually said anything out loud, but I think hubby and I are going to keep this turn of events to ourselves for now. I can’t see any good reason to add this uncertainty to our children’s lives. They have enough to worry about on their own. So, I will pour out my feelings here on my blog, since no one who knows me personally ever reads it.

Two Ruptured Cervical Disks – No Wonder I’m Hurting!

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I talked with my Orthopedist’s PA the other day, and she confirmed what I already knew. The disks are bulging on the two cervical vertebrae that are degenerating, and that’s what is causing the pain and stiffness. She doesn’t want to make an anesthesiologist appointment to get an epidural there until I have a chance to talk to my Neurologist. I see him Wednesday. I did ask that she talk to my Neuro’s nurse, rather than expect me to relay messages. It seems that the ER did not send any information to him about my time in the ER in September, when I had the horrible drug interaction with a steroid shot. So his nurse was completely surprised to hear I had a bad reaction.

So, we’ll be going to the hospital to sign the release form to get the records to take to my Neuro.

I continue to be concerned and in prayer for several Parkie buddies on the PatientsLikeMe site, who have been diagnosed with skin cancers. One has Melanoma, and the other has Squamous Cell Cancer. Both were caught early, with every reason to believe they will be just fine. We are all praying for their recovery.

There is another woman on there who’s brother also has PD, who had unrelated surgery, and to quote her – “his brain is mush.” She said he has already tried to leave the hospital. When I thought I was going to have to have surgery back a few months ago, I learned all kinds of scary things about how difficult it is for PWP to have any kind of anesthesia without serious side effects. Also, it is very difficult to get hospitals to keep the PD meds coming on time. And that can mean the difference between being mobile and thinking normally, and not.

I wore my new “Sunday” shoes today, and I really like them. They help with my balance, they feel good on, and they are unobtrusive. I doubt if anyone has even noticed that I’m not wearing dress shoes. I don’t feel the least bit self conscious in them, so if someone has noticed them – I don’t care.

I am having one problem, though, that came unexpectedly. Last night I noticed a red itchy place on my wrist where the back of the Timex watch is against my skin. I had noticed that the skin was getting slick and shiny there a couple of weeks ago, so I started taking it off at night to go to sleep. Evidently I didn’t heed the warning in time, as I now have a nice round ringworm there. It’s been holding too much moisture against my skin, as it is fairly tight. It’s a big man size watch, and not particularly comfortable, but I was willing to tolerate it, because it is so helpful. I may end up taking the band off, and just keeping it in my pocket.

I have not been able to do much exercising for the last month, partly because of my neck, but mostly because my DH over did it and his Sciatica is acting up again. I’ve been so busy working on the requests on our Plush Memories blog that I have been sitting still more than I probably should be. I’ve not been doing the Tai Chi, either. I know I really need to get back with a scheduled exercise program, the way I was before.

So, some things improve, while other new aggravations begin. Not so different than what happens to everyone, right?

Sitting MRI and a Full Night’s Sleep

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Well, I had my Standing MRI on my neck yesterday. I was having some strong tremors when I got there, so the technician changed it to a Sitting MRI! LOL!! He also put a lightly restraining halo on my head, and I managed to stay still through the whole 30 minutes. He said I did just fine.

Of course I won’t find out anything until next week probably. I’m guessing that he will prescribe Physical Therapy again, particularly since I had such a terrible reaction to the Celestone steroid shot for my poison ivy. It depends on just how much damage he sees, I guess.

I have my Neurologist appointment next week, so I will be talking to him about how I should proceed. He may have me stop taking the Zelepar, as that seems to be the med that gives me the most interaction warnings. It does not play well with others!

I have an appointment with my Sleep Apnea Specialist next week, too. He should be dismissing me, hopefully. I am sleeping a full 8 hours almost every night now. And it has made a miraculous difference in my daytime sleeping. Actually, I’m not having ANY daytime sleeping problems, now. I can ride in the car for hours now, and still carry on a conversation with my DH. It’s been years since I could do that. No more jerking awake at the computer from a few seconds of sound sleep out of nowhere. And, I am still on the Requip that gets blamed for this side effect. It wasn’t the medicine after all for me. I was just sleep deprived!

It’s so gratifying to see improvement even in one area of my health. And I have high hopes that Dr. J will fix the pain and stiffness in my neck.

Standing MRI Tomorrow / Praying for Friends

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Hubby went off yesterday morning to his stint on Jury Duty, only to be sent back home. All the cases for this week had been handled through plea bargains, and there were no cases!! He had to call back last night to see if anything had changed, and they dismissed all the jurors!!

So, I got busy making arrangements to have my MRI done, and it is scheduled for tomorrow. I’m going to call my Neurologist’s office today and see if they have any suggestions, because it dawned on me that with this standing MRI, I would need to be still for quite awhile. That was not a problem with the knee MRI I had done at this same place. I was not having foot and leg tremors then, but I am now.

It just seems like this PD manages to worm its way into every single thing I try to do.

I shouldn’t be whining, though, as I am so much better off than some of my Parkie friends are. It grieves me, for their sakes, to read of all the pain and problems that PD is causing some wonderful people that I care deeply about on the PLM forum and on the PD blogs I keep up with. I keep them in the forefront of my prayers daily.

Hubby and I are also extremely concerned about a young teen aged, very gifted and sweet boy from our church, who is seriously ill. He went to the doctor Friday, but the doctor ran all kinds of tests and could not find anything to explain how sick he felt, and sent him back home.

Saturday he was in the hospital with pneumonia. Monday, he was put in ICU, and yesterday he was airlifted to the ICU at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

This single mom has a Downs Syndrome child, as well, so attending to the needs of both of them must be putting all kinds of extra strain on her during this scary time. Thankfully, she has family living nearby who can help her out. We spent a few minutes with him in the ICU yesterday, only to come home and find out about the airlift. I talked to her for just a moment or two in the ICU waiting room at Children’s last night, and she sounded OK, but I imagine she is faking a lot of that calm.

So, I feel very small and insignificant at times like this, with my petty little problems. All we can do is keep them in our prayers, and offer to help in any way we can.

Update on Dental Appliance for Sleep Apnea

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I’ve been wearing the TAP device for the last three nights, and thought I’d better let you know what I think of it. All in all I’m very pleased. It’s certainly easier for me than trying to get used to the CPAP mask was. I would be lying if I said it is comfortable, but it’s not painful and I am pretty sure I will eventually wear it without particularly noticing it. I guess it’s about like wearing glasses for the first time.

There are a few things that have to be part of my routine now, because of the dental appliance. It is absolutely a must that I brush my teeth every night, something I’ve never really had a consistent habit about, hanging my head in shame, as I usually fall asleep in the recliner while watching TV. If I don’t, I’m just asking for a bunch of cavities. Also, I have to brush the mouth pieces every morning when I brush my teeth, and leave them out to dry thoroughly.

The big change is that there are two small pieces of pliable plastic that I have to stick in between my teeth at the corners of my mouth every morning to chew on for awhile. The idea is that the TAP pulls the lower jaw forward for sleeping, so in the morning, I have to move my lower jaw back into it’s normal position, so my bite will be correct. It’s kind of like chewing gum, I guess, but there’s no taste. It’s not hard to do, but it’s absolutely necessary. It’s supposed to strengthen my jaw muscles, too, which will be a good Parkinson’s exercise. PWP lose the ability to control their facial muscles eventually, so this should help me forestall the expressionless Parkinson’s Mask, as it’s called.

I haven’t made any turns on the device yet, so I’m still wearing it at the first setting, which has my upper and lower teeth meeting in the front. Now, for some of you, they already do that to begin with, but I have a noticeable overbite. That overbite is one of the main reasons my Sleep Disorder doctor thinks this dental appliance will stop my Sleep Apnea. I figure I’m going to be wearing this thing the rest of my life, so what’s the rush. I want to get used to it first, before I start cranking my jaw out any further, particularly since it’s already set to move my lower jaw out a good bit just to make my front teeth meet.

As far as my sleeping goes, I haven’t been doing much of that. I don’t really think it’s because of the dental appliance, though. I’ve taken Lunesta two nights now, and still didn’t sleep more than three or four hours. I made it to five hours last night, without a sleeping pill, which is the best this week. I’ve never found a sleeping pill that really worked well enough on me to justify taking it, so I can’t say I’m surprised the Lunesta didn’t help.

I’ve been pretty upset with other things that have been going on with my Parkinson’s right now, and I think that’s cutting into my sleep. Also, I’m on several more PD meds since my ER visit, and they may be making the insomnia worse. And, even with the extra meds, I’m still wobbly, although nowhere near as bad as I was before I went to the ER.

I am having some spells of being extremely spacey and unsteady, which pass after about an hour or so, usually right after meals. I’m guessing it’s the combination of all the PD meds I’m on right now, but my Neurologist will straighten that out for sure. I have them all spread out as best I could, so I’m taking something about every hour or two all day long.

I see my Neurologist tomorrow, and I’m very hopeful that he can sort out what needs to be done to help the insomnia and also give my Gastroenterologist some suggestions about medicines I can take to calm the colon spasms. He may have to change some of my PD meds, so that I can take an antidepressant, as that is the class of drugs that the colon relaxing medicines fall in. Oh, I forget to mention that I stopped taking the St. John’s Wort after the first day, as the more I read I realized it was in the category of an antidepressant, and I can’t take those right now.

So I’ll spend today looking forward to tomorrow and some answers, I hope!

Walking on Jello

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 6

The saga of drug interactions continues, evidently. I had a Celestone shot on Thursday to get the poison ivy under control, as a steroid shot always does the trick for me. My regular doctor has given these to me several times in the last few years, so I was not surprised when I woke up very nervous Friday. That’s pretty much par for the course, plus they make it hard for me to sleep, too. So, I tolerated the shakiness Friday, and we continued with our Estate Sale hunting and went to see our younger DD for an overnight stay.

By Saturday morning I was even shakier, but we had a long way to drive home. I kept the way I was feeling to myself, figuring it would go away, and I did feel better after we ate a big breakfast. But, this morning, I was in really bad shape. I was shaking all over and holding on to furniture and the walls to get around. When my hubby got up several hours after me, I was worse. So, I called the Neurologist’s answering service and the doctor on call promptly called me back. After listening to all this, he told me to go to the ER. He said he was concerned it was an infection (I didn’t think so, but?) and they would be able to give me something to stop the tremors. So, we were off for the hour long drive to get to the ER, with DH trying his best not to show just how worried he was about me, and me trying my best to be still.

They took me right away, but it still took quite awhile to get the results from all the blood work they did. They did not find signs of any infection, and concluded, just as I had, that the steroid shot had precipitated this acceleration of my symptoms. So, armed with four prescriptions and orders to see my Neurologist this week, they sent me home.

So, at least for now, I’m back on Sinemet, which is the “Gold Standard” drug for Parkinson’s. Since I was so nauseated with it when I took it for the Sinemet Challenge that confirmed my Parkinson’s diagnosis, I had asked the ER doctor to also give me a prescription for Lodosyn, Carafate, and Phenergan. This is where my journal of everything that has happened since my diagnosis came in handy. I was able to show him in my journal that this is what my own Neurologist had put me on way back in September of 2006, when I got so nauseated with the Sinemet.

So, I’m typing this with a fairly steady hand, with all these extra meds in my system. I have an appointment tomorrow with my Gastroenterologist to find out what he thinks is going on with my digestive tract, and as soon as I know what is going on in that area, I will make an appointment to see my Neurologist.

This whole experience has been very upsetting to say the least, not only for me, but for DH as well. I hate it that he’s having to take care of me the way he’s had to. I hate it that I couldn’t stop myself from shaking. I hate it that the ER guard came immediately, being so very solicitous, wanting to get me a wheelchair, as I was obviously so feeble looking, wobbly cane and all. I hate being this way. Today I got a glimpse of what the future holds. I hate it.

Trying a Different C-Pap Mask

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on by 4

I took the c-pap stuff back to the supplier yesterday, and they have changed me to a very soft nasal “plug” that doesn’t have nearly as much strapping all over my face as the nasal mask did. I slept 6 straight hours, without getting up at all. I can’t remember how long it’s been since I did that. It’s not perfect, as my nostrils were sore this morning, and I can still feel the thing, even hours after it has been out. I’ve always had this odd thing where I could “feel” a hat long after I had taken it off, and this canula is doing the same thing.

I have hope now that I will adjust. The frustration I was feeling with the other face mask was really wearing me out. It’s a good thing I don’t cuss! LOL

I’m calling the Gastroenterologist today, as I want the colonoscopy for my peace of mind. I’m still not satisfied with my elimination situation. We took our kittens to the vet this morning, and I got light headed and had to sit down quickly, because we were standing, waiting for the vet to come in our treatment room. I blame that on my tummy, as I felt better after I excused myself and used their facilities.

I’ve started going out in our yard and working just as soon as it’s daylight, as it’s just too hot later on in the morning. So, my exercise routine is back on track, with walking and Tai Chi every day, plus working for a little while in the yard. By the time I come in around 7:00AM I’m drenched in sweat.

I’m definitely going to have to get my Neurologist to prescribe something to stop this excessive crying I’m doing. I broke out in blubbering at the c-pap office, trying to tell the tech how frustrated I was trying to adjust to the mask. I have learned that this is called emotional lability (more recently called Pseudobulbar affect), and it is a PD side effect. He doesn’t want to change my meds until I get the cpap and elimination situations settled, and that makes sense.

So, some things seem to be getting better, and others aren’t.

Getting a Sleep Study Done

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I went to see my Neurologist yesterday, and he is very pleased with my physical progress. He doesn’t want to change any of my meds, though, until I have had a sleep study. So, I have an appointment in July with a Sleep Disorder specialist. I’m not sure what that kind of doctor is called, but they gave me a book’s worth of forms to fill out about myself that I have to have done for the appointment. I’m surprised they didn’t ask me if I painted my toenails!!

I’ve been doing a little research about this insomnia thing and Parkinson’s, and it’s no wonder that this is bothering me. Something like 88% of PWP complain of insomnia!! Whether it’s the disease or the meds we take, I’m not sure, but that’s a significant symptom to deal with.

I have recently bought two more books that I think are going to be very helpful. One is Parkinson’s – The Art of Moving, by John Argue, and the other is The Book of Exercise and Yoga for Those with Parkinson’s Disease, by Lori Newell, M.A., which shows how to do each exercise from a chair if the PWP requires it. Add the Chi Walking book I’ve mentioned before, by Danny and Catherine Dryer, to that list, and I think any Parkie would find help with improving their body mechanics. I found used copies of the first two on Amazon recently, and I bought the walking book at a local book store. Thanks to Tami for suggesting the Art of Moving book.

DH mentioned last night that the slope of our newly installed home “track” makes it harder for him to get in as many steps as he does on the track at the local park. And I thought it was just me.

We now have extended our driveway around to the side of our house, with a new garage to be built next week, hopefully. But we didn’t stop there. We had them put in a side walk to underneath our deck, and had a patio put in there. There’s only about a five foot pathway between the end of the patio and the beginning of the sidewalk that goes from the deck steps to the front driveway that we need to finish with stepping stones.

That means we essentially have our own personal track now. We get an up and down slope going to and from the back yard, as we have a full daylight basement, with plenty of level walking up front and on the new driveway. Now I can step outside during the day and go around a time or two any time I get stiff or need a break from working on the computer. I’m not supposed to sit still more than about 15 minutes at a time, according to the Art of Moving book, so this is great. I think that’s also why sitting through church bothers me so much. I can’t wiggle enough in the pew to stay comfortable LOL!!

DH is walking between two and three miles each day we go to the track, but he’s not able to do much else in the way of exercising. He had colon cancer several years ago, and the whole incision, from way above the navel all the way down, herniated last year. He has this huge piece of mesh sewn into his abdomen to hold it all together. You can actually see the bulge in his tummy where the muscles are just not able to support his mid section. The doctor cautioned him not to do crunches or anything similar, so it’s hard for him to slim his middle down. He’s pretty much stopped wearing trousers with belts, as they are just not comfortable.

So, I’m glad that my Parkinson’s is giving him the motivation to walk consistently. He’s a night owl, and if it weren’t for getting up to keep me walking, I don’t think he would get up early on his own. And, of course, it’s way too hot to walk much around here unless you go very early. We are usually at the track by 6:00AM, with plenty of other walkers already going around when we get there. On days he doesn’t feel like getting up that early, he’s been walking around our own track as late as 10:00 at night!! So, we’re helping each other to stay motivated, and that’s a good thing.