Hello All,
I have been diagnosed with PD at 44 after a couple of MRIs and a DAT scan. It was obvious enough reviewing the CD I received with the DAT images even for a layman like myself. If memory doesn’t fail me the symptoms started to creep in from around three years ago with pains and limited movement on the right shoulder and arm, leading to shuffling of the right leg, resting tremors when agitated, dizziness and tiredness.
After a long wait to see a neurologist, he gave an almost instant diagnosis of PD but would like to confirm after the scans.
Me and my family cried all we had to cry and now we are accepting the reality of it. My wife and son have been extremely supportive and I feel very lucky for that.
When I was a child we used to visit my great-grandparents in the country, my great-grandfather had PD and I was mortally afraid of him and his constant shaking, so that didn’t leave a great impression on a young me back in the 70s and 80s.
My father used to tell us of an episode from his teenage days, when him and his cousins (planning to hang out with the local girls) stole a bottle of whiskey from his grandfather that his uncle used to bring over, which was at the time the only thing that would calm down his tremors. The whole plan went to the dogs when a less than brave cousin snitched my father and the others to his very prude mother and all hell broke loose. And the pretty fair ladies of the countryside were left waiting…
A couple of weeks ago while visiting my parents, I broke the news of my diagnosis to them, and to my surprise my father confessed that he may also have PD as he has similar symptoms to mine, but has soldiered on with the disease for almost twenty years and never spoke to a doctor about it. Hopefully now that I have opened to them he will see a neurologist. I have also convinced them to have a DNA test with me to confirm if it’s only luck or there is a clear genetic link. In which case we will need to inform his brothers and my cousins, and I can’t stop thinking about what may be in store for my child.
I feel hopeful the medication will improve my outlook, together with exercises and a better understanding of the disease.
Thank you for listening to my ramblings.
